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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24810865">Dreamland on the Glittering Star</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KachiKirby/pseuds/KachiKirby'>KachiKirby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dreamland on the Glittering Star: Ensign of the Halberd [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kirby (Video Games), Suisei no Gargantia | Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Actually a lot of characters appear, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Gargantia spoilers in later chapters, Gen, I swear it's only like the Gargantia anime for the first two chapters, Illustrations Coming Soon, Post-Kirby Star Allies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 12:00:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>129,126</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24810865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KachiKirby/pseuds/KachiKirby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On one hand, this is the story of a pink puff and his friends who befriend a stranger that fell from the sky. On the other hand, this is the story of a young man and his robot in a world completely unknown to them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chamber &amp; Ledo (Suisei no Gargantia), Chamber (Suisei no Gargantia) &amp; Ledo (Suisei no Gargantia) &amp; Meta Knight, Kirby &amp; Meta Knight, Kirby (Kirby) &amp; Ledo (Suisei no Gargantia)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dreamland on the Glittering Star: Ensign of the Halberd [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2084427</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Visitors from the Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 1: The Visitors from the Sky</strong>
</p><p>Welcome to Dreamland, a kingdom known for its peace and quiet. It's the perfect little land…if you like that sort of thing.</p><p>Kirby had been sleeping that morning when he heard a loud crash that sounded not too far from his home. He opened a sleepy eye and looked around.</p><p><em>"It's probably nothing..."</em> he thought before falling back asleep.</p><p>Then came the rumbling. It was almost like a small earthquake, though it was likely due to the proximity of the crash site. Normally anyone would get up to see what it was, but Kirby simply fell back asleep. It was common for Kirby to sleep during a massive event such as an invasion, a giant plant growing, and the breaking of a dangerous seal. It was likely the result of living in the peaceful and quiet Dreamland, no doubt.</p><p>The pink puff did not wake up again until he heard banging on his door. <em>"Yeah…now is around the time I should be getting up…"</em> he thought as he stood up and shambled over to answer it. It was Bandana Dee.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" </p><p>"Yup, but I needed to get up anyway." Kirby sighed, "So what's this about? Does Dedede want to have another fight to settle or grudge or something?"</p><p>"Not today, no."</p><p>"What is it then? Is someone in trouble?" Kirby ran out of the house in concern. Kirby was the type who HAD to help someone if they were in trouble, that was just how he was. "I'll explain more as we walk, let's go." The Dee replied. <em>"This must be urgent if he's saying that…"</em> Kirby thought as he followed after him.</p><p>Travelling through the meadows, Bandanna filled Kirby in on what was going on. King Dedede had heard from some of the Waddle Dees about a large object falling into the lake in Vegetable Valley's Green Greens area. Dedede seemed very interested in the object and wanted it to be pulled out of the lake, which Bonkers and an army of Waddle Dees were doing since earlier this morning. "Okay, but what does this have to do with me?" Kirby asked. "You should know well. You know how we've been attacked by things that have fallen from the sky? That's why Dedede wants you here. He thinks it's too soon for another adventure to destroy another Popstar invader, so he wants you to nip it in the metaphorical bud if needed." Bandana explained. Kirby didn't really mind going on adventures, it was exciting being able to travel to new places. Honestly, it might be better if it was on an actual vacation instead of a mandatory trip to defeat whatever was plaguing Popstar or the entire galaxy at the time, but it was still fun.</p><p>When the two arrived at the lake, they saw that whatever fell from the sky that morning had already been pulled out of the lake. It was a giant robot. There appeared to be a few scratches on it, but it was mostly in perfect condition, which was very surprising. Dedede was standing by its side, apparently checking it over and talking to someone. "HEEEYYY! DEDEDE! I'M HERE!" the puff shouted running towards him.</p><p>"Perfect timing… for once…" Dedede snarked.</p><p>"Hey! What do you mean 'for once'?" his rival pouted as he grumbled that. "You know what I mean! You'd prolly sleep through the Apocalypse if it didn't interrupt your naptime!" the king laughed before continuing "Anyway, you wouldn't happen to have any idea what this thing is?"</p><p>"All I know is that it fell from the sky, so just about as much as you know." Kirby sighed as he looked up to the person Dedede was talking to.</p><p>It was Magolor, who was standing on the waist of the giant mech.</p><p>"Oh, hello Kirby! Fancy meeting you here!" he smiled, waving down at him.</p><p>"Magolor, do you know what this thing is?" the pink puff asked. "No, I've never seen anything like this before. Most I could tell is it seems to be a robot of some kind." He patted one of the legs. "Well, if Magolor doesn't know what it is and if Susie doesn't know what it is when she gets here, then that means this is something completely new to us." Bandana Dee observed. "You'd think that Susie would be one of the first people you'd contact considering this stuff is up her alley." Kirby commented. "She destroyed one of my castles and made a clone based on my own royal image without my permission! Of course, she would be one of the last people I want to come here!" Dedede exclaimed while Bandana only sighed in response. "Oh, by the way, do you know if something's wrong with him?" Magolor pointed towards the top of the robot. Not knowing what the mage was talking about, Kirby floated up to stand beside him, ignoring Dedede's comment of "don't bother, the blueberry's just acting normal!".</p><p>Upon reaching where Magolor was standing, the mumbling of a familiar voice made the boy understand why the king said that. It was Meta Knight, who was kneeling (or rather, kneeling as much as a puffball could) at the mech's chest area. The knight had a belt of tools mounted onto his left side, his sword scabbard mounted on his right, and Kirby even noticed a mechanical pencil hanging on his mask band. He was mumbling feverishly to himself as he would sometimes take the pencil to write down notes into a spiral notebook he had on his left side.</p><p>While Meta Knight having Galaxia by his side was normal, everything else was abnormal to someone who hadn't known the knight well. While Kirby can't name all of his mentor's habits or hobbies other than training, there are three things the puff always remembers: he loves to read, he has a massive sweet tooth, and he is skilled at messing around with machines. The last of those often shined through at times when confronted with new technology during peacetime. Despite how he looked and acted, Meta Knight loved working on machines. In fact, his own crew said that he was very hands-on when building his battleship, the Halberd, and continues to do repairs in his spare time. However, it was all too often that when confronted with new technology, such as this robot, that he would develop a fixation for studying it to the point where he tends to ignore everything around him. Of course, that's what was happening now.</p><p>"No, nothing's wrong with him. He just gets really into studying machines." Kirby finally said. "Are you sure?" Magolor stared. "Yeah, watch…" Kirby turned to face his mentor.</p><p>"HEEEYYYY! META-SENSEIIIIIIIIIII!" his shouting was loud enough to make Magolor, Bandana, and the king cover their ears. Most they got out of the masked knight was a flinch, but then he went back to work. "I can try it again with Mic if you want."</p><p>"NO! NO! I'M GOOD, I'M GOOD!" Magolor shook his head frantically. "I mean, we should probably ask him what he's figured out from studying it, but how to get his attention?" Dedede wondered aloud. Bandana Dee hopped up next to the knight and waved one of his hand-nubs in front of him to no reaction. Then, Kirby walked over and covered his eyes, only to have his nubs brushed out of the way nonchalantly. There was a brief pause in his murmuring while he did that, but it wasn't too much. "Magolor, do you have any chocolate with you?" Bandana asked. "Er…I just have a small piece somewhere…" the mage looked like he was rummaging through some non-existent pockets. Dedede spoke up "Hold on a minute…YO, TARANZA!"</p><p>"I'm right here, don't shout, please." The spider mage was making tea under Dedede's event tent.</p><p>"Oh…uh…ya happen to have any chocolate?" the king asked.</p><p>"Chef Kawasaki said he'll be done with lunch in a couple of minutes, your highness. You shouldn't ruin your appetite." Taranza lectured.</p><p>"I know, mom. The chocolate ain't for me, it's for the blueberry." </p><p>"Oh."</p><p>The spider mage tossed a piece to Dedede. He tossed it to Bandana Dee, who unwrapped it and held it in front of Meta Knight. The blue knight briefly stopped mumbling long enough to grab the chocolate, slip it under his mask, and continue on as if nothing happened.</p><p>"Well…that was pointless." Magolor uttered. "Alright, leave this to me!" Dedede climbed up onto the robot. "There's only one thing that'll break his concentration, guaranteed!" he grabbed the top of Meta Knight's mask and tried to pull it off. As if it was a reflex, the knight grabbed his arm and flipped him, causing him to fall onto the opposite side of the mecha. "OW! OH, NOVA! THAT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA! OWWW!" Dedede yelled from the ground.</p><p>"What do you want?" Meta Knight spoke, standing up while readjusting his mask.</p><p>"Well done, Great King! You got his attention!" Bandana Dee cheered while the king weakly gave a thumbs-up. "If you wanted to get my attention, you could've just said my name." The knight shook his head. "I yelled at you and covered your eyes and you didn't respond! What else were we supposed to do?" Kirby tried to explain. "I would've heard you if you were yelling at me, Kirby." His mentor sighed. All Kirby could do was shrug.</p><p>"So, Meta Knight, what have you figured out about this robot?" Bandana Dee asked. "I don't have any tools on me that I can use to take it apart, that's my first discovery. Not even using any of the metalwork saws I brought are working." He pointed to his subordinate, Sailor Dee, who had a box of tools with him. "So, does that mean there's no way to open it?" Kirby asked. "Oh no, I'm just getting started." His mentor mused. "Sailor Dee, bring out the plasma blowtorch!" "Yes, sir!" The Waddle Dee ran up the mech bringing a torch mask and the blowtorch itself.</p><p>"HEY, WAIT A MINUTE! WHAT ARE YA DOIN' WITH THAT BLOWTORCH?! DON'T YA DARE GO BURNING THAT THING! I'MMA GONNA KEEP IT AT MY CA-!" Dedede covered his own mouth before he could finish. "So, your true purpose of wanting to take this robot out of the lake is finally revealed…" Meta Knight glared at him. "Hey, if I can harness its power, you and that pink lump student of yours can start to take it easy!" "I doubt that." Both puffs said.</p><p>"UGH! ALRIGHT, I JUST THINK IT LOOKS COOL AND I WANT IT! THERE I SAID IT!" the king crossed his arms. "Lunch is ready!" the voice of Taranza broke the group up. "Well, I guess I'll worry about blowtorching this later…" Meta Knight sighed as he climbed down. "Oh no, you won't! What part of 'you're not getting anywhere near this thing with that blowtorch' don't you get!?" Dedede shouted at him.</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u">"<em>Measuring brainwaves…no abnormalities in basic rhythms detected</em>.<em> Ensign Ledo, awakening confirmed. Revival successful.</em>"</span>
</p><p>The young man opened his eyes to hear the mechanical voice of his Machine Caliber's operating system.</p><p>"Cham…ber…?" he uttered. It took a few blinks for his vision to come back into focus.</p><p><span class="u">"<em>In accordance with emergency protocol, I have preserved your bodily functions via cryostasis. Two-hundred sixty-six thousand eighteen hundred and fifteen minutes have passed.</em>"</span> Chamber responded. "How long is that…?" Ledo asked, groggily shaking his head. <span class="u">"<em>Six months</em><em>. </em><em>Would you like me to break it down further?</em>"</span> "No, you don't need to…" he sighed. Chamber continued <em>"<span class="u">My system functionality was in stasis as well, but I had rebooted about twenty minutes ago due to external stimuli."</span></em>The young man gave a shocked look. "What stimuli?" he asked.</p><p>The monitor in front of him turned on, showing a blue ball-like creature with a plate of metal on his face and another tall creature seemingly arguing with each other in a language he could not recognize. The world around them was green and bright. Perhaps this is Avalon, where those who complete their required time in the military can go to rest. That might explain how peaceful it appears. <em>"<span class="u">This current situation requires the judgement of the pilot, hence why I initiated your awakening." </span></em>The AI explained. On his right, a pink ball creature pushed between the two and spoke.</p><p>"Teede pen, ka, pen' bila! De' tee de kame!" it said.</p><p>"What are these things and what language are they speaking?" the ensign questioned. <span class="u"><em>"It is an unknown language that is not even recognized within the Galactic Alliance."</em></span> "Even within the Galactic Alliance? How interesting." He sighed. <span class="u"><em>"I am currently analyzing but I have insufficient data."</em> </span>It was probably a given that the language would be unknown if he wasn't seeing humans.</p><p>If it was an ancient language, maybe Chamber would've been able to more easily figure it out, but the language these strange inhabitants were speaking was not even remotely similar to anything that was heard before. There's also the possibility that this is some kind of tribe that hasn't joined the alliance yet, but that was out of the question because they weren't human.</p><p>"Based on how they're acting, they look like they've never seen a Machine Caliber before." Ledo observed. <span class="u"><em>"It appears that they are trying to damage the craft but have no means of doing so. I assume that they might be a primitive species."</em> </span>That sounds about right to him. There's no way they could take apart a Machine Caliber with what he assumed was a blowtorch. "They shouldn't be able to open the hatch then. Where are we?" <span class="u"><em>"Location unknown. We lack a point of reference."</em> </span>"What?!" Oh, how startling it was to suddenly wake up in an unknown place with unknown things roaming about with no one but your AI guide to help you. </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I have developed a working hypothesis. During the carrier Lamerack's telemarkering swing, we were caught up in the vortex of the changing space-time metric and later resynchronized with normal space-time at a set of arbitrary coordinates. I had already sent out a distress signal while you were in cryostasis. However, the situation has reached a critical point where intervention is required. Please advise."</em> </span>
</p><p>All Ledo could do was sigh. "I…I don't know…I'm even more hesitant because whatever these things are, they clearly aren't human." He observed the ball creatures and tall creature walking over to a covered structure in the distance. </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It is possible that we can easily escape now." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Yes, but where would we escape to? We don't know where we are. It's best that we figure that out first."</p><p>After waiting for the creatures to enter the tent, Ledo opened the cockpit. He took a device on the center console of his machine and put it on the collar of his pilot suit. He stepped down onto the grass and closed the hatch to his cockpit. "The gravity here is exactly 1 G. How's the air?" he asked his AI assistant. <span class="u"><em>"The air consists primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The ratio is ideal for life."</em> </span>With a nod, the pilot deactivated his helmet. It'd be a good idea to save oxygen just in case. The air smelled strange to the young man. It was organic, not artificial, like the smells he had known on the spaceship. Did the spaceships even have any kind of smell? If they did, it was nothing like here. There was life here and he could tell. "Just what were those creatures?" Ledo looked down at the toolbox and blowtorch on the ground.</p><p>That's when he heard the grass rustling. Two people were walking over. He had to hide. Good thing there was a box nearby to hide behind.</p><hr/><p>"Dedede, what are you doing?" Taranza asked as he followed the monarch. "I'm gonna try and figure out this thing myself! There's no way I'm letting Meta Knight damage this beauty with his blowtorch!" he examined the mech to see if he could find anything new. Taranza was about to make a comment, until he noticed something at the base of the mech.</p><p>The grass was wet. It was a sunny day, so the water from dragging the robot out of the lake would've dried by now.</p><p>Dedede walked around to the opposite side. "Step away, your highness!" Taranza prepared his web magic. "Huh? Why?" Dedede asked, confused. "Something's up! Get over here!" the mage shouted. "Can't you just explain-" The penguin was cut off by a young human who locked him into a hold. "YOUR HIGHNESS!" Taranza shouted. Holding Dedede's neck under his arm, the young man pointed what appeared to be a pistol at the mage.</p><p>"Afurule fufle!" the young man said.</p><p>"Wh-what are you saying?!" Taranza questioned. "HEY! WHO THE HECK ARE YOU!? LET ME GO!" Dedede yelled and tried to struggle, to no avail. "Afurule fufle mata fule!" the person holding him stood firm. Taranza began to create a ball of magic, but the young man in front of him shot near where his feet would be. It had startled him enough to break his concentration. Looking at the grass below him, that was clearly a laser, not a bullet.</p><p>Taking advantage of the stunned silence, the young man took Dedede and began to run. For someone of his size to be able to carry someone as heavy as King Dedede while running away as quick as he did, this teenager must be a secret bodybuilder. "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Taranza began to shout and then turned to the event tent "EVERYONE! HELP! SOME GUY JUST KIDNAPPED DEDEDE!". Voices of panic and urgency began to pour out of the tent as everyone who was eating rushed out to chase after the unknown kidnapper. All the while, Dedede continued to yell at the person who was holding him hostage to let him go.</p><hr/><p><em>"<span class="u">I cannot find any logic within your actions, ensign."</span></em> Chamber spoke.</p><p>"They shouldn't attack me if I take a hostage…at least I hope they don't." Ledo responded.</p><p>His penguin hostage continued to rattle on, not that Ledo was able to understand a thing he was saying. "Va Shi Shi Va! Noh Shibi Shi Shitee, Ta'noh Shitee Va So En Derayvashi Shi Tee Nohshi Bi Shi Punoh!" it yelled. It continued to yell other things, but Ledo wasn't concerned about that.</p><p>"I can't risk activating you right now until I have a good idea of what kind of terrain we're dealing with." The young man explained. <span class="u"><em>"Understood. Recording and analyzing footage. I advise you to cover as much ground as possible."</em></span></p><p>A few minutes of running later, and Ledo thought of something else. "Have you been able to figure out their language yet?" </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Analysis is at about 40% completion. More vocabulary samples are needed."</span></em>  The ensign slightly laughed. "Alright, you hear that? Keep talking about whatever you want." He tapped the creature's head with the hilt of his gun. "Ta Nohva De! Pu Teenoh Ta De Ta Ta Shi Va!" it yelled as he pushed forward.</p><hr/><p>"Taranza, what happened!?" Kirby asked.</p><p>Him, the spider mage, Magolor, and Bandana Dee were riding on his Warp Star to catch up to the kidnapper. Meta Knight had taken to the skies as well after he had ordered Sailor Dee to contact the Meta-Knights on the Halberd for backup. Kirby was confident they weren't needed, but his mentor often thought it was better to be safe than sorry.</p><p>"Dedede was kidnapped by some guy! I just told you!" he yelled. "Yeah, but where did he come from? Everyone should've gone to lunch!" the pink puff asked. "Wait…Kirby…that means…Taranza, do you think he come from inside that mech?" Magolor questioned. "How should I know? I wasn't the one watching that thing!" he stopped talking when the image of the puddle underneath the robot's head manifested in his mind.</p><hr/><p>Ledo had no choice but to press forward. Suddenly, the path was blocked by a group of orange creatures with spears.</p><p>"Are you kidding me!?" he uttered under his breath, and jumped over them, using one to boost him further. One of them said something. <span class="u"><em>"That was a comment about being used as a springboard."</em></span> Chamber said. "How simplistic…" Ledo grumbled. <em>"<span class="u">Negative, ensign. I believe it is too soon to call these people simplistic."</span></em> His AI partner replied.</p><p>It wasn't long until he reached what appeared to be a cliff overlooking the ocean. The blue ball-creature landed on the cliff in front of him, blocking the path. Behind him, the pink one, now wearing a purple hat and carrying a bow showed up alongside the spider being from earlier, another orange ball creature, and an egg thing. More orange ball creatures began to show up, now carrying bows.</p><p>The hostage Ledo was carrying began to speak again "Va noh' teeta nohva ta vashinoh bipuva de! En va!" the blue creature behind him sighed, his sword still pointed towards the young man. He was surrounded, with nowhere to escape to. That's when he felt his grip loosen, and the penguin creature escaped, retreating to the pink creature's side. "Well, it looks like I no longer have a choice…NOW, CHAMBER!" Ledo called out to his mech, which suddenly activated.</p><p>Bursting up from the ground, Chamber somersaulted in the air before landing in the water behind the ledge. The creature didn't flinch, but instead uttered something in a tone of surprise. "Noh shiva!?" Everyone gathered could only stare in awe at the giant robot before them.</p><p>"Chamber, what's going on here? Have you figured out our location yet?" the young man asked. <span class="u">"<em>It appears that we find ourselves on a planet were respiration of the normal atmosphere is possible. While the only planet to match this in the database is Earth, there is no other details about this planet that matches it. It seems we have discovered an entirely new planet, ensign.</em>"</span> Ledo's eyes widened "This…is an entirely new planet?!" he gasped.</p><p>Even more orange ball creatures arrived, plus one with a giant eye, and another one carrying a hammer. There were likely more to come at this rate. Chamber floated up and placed himself in front of Ledo as if to protect him while he locked eyes with the blue one. The two watched to see who would make a move first. <em>"<span class="u">The current threat level has climbed by 225%. I propose a preemptive attack."</span></em>The AI said. "Don't, Chamber. Tell them we mean no harm in their language." The ensign suggested.</p><hr/><p><span class="u"><em>"Discontinue…attack. We mean…no harm."</em> </span>The giant robot said.</p><p>"The heck? Why did they take me hostage then?!" Dedede grumbled and then locked eyes with Meta Knight on the other side. "Hey! What are you doing?! Attack them!" he shouted.</p><p>"Don't be rash, Dedede! We don't know what they're fully capable of!" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Please lower…your weapons."</span></em>The robot finished.</p><p>"Great king, let me handle this!" Bandana Dee said, stepping forward.</p><p>He raised his spear to show that he didn't intend to harm them. He yelled to the young man "My name is Bandana Dee! I am the aide to King Dedede! Please identify yourself!".</p><hr/><p>Chamber pulled up a screen in front of Ledo with some text on it.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"The orange ball with the blue bandana is asking for your name and affiliation."</em></span> The mech explained.</p><p>"Right, understood."</p><p>Ledo lowered his pistol, hoping that the blue creature would not take advantage of his open state.</p><hr/><p>The group first heard the unknown language of the young man before the robot began to speak as well. The robot seemed to be translating what he was saying. <em>"</em></p><p><em><span class="u">I am the pilot of the Anti-Hideauze Annihilation Weapon Chamber, Ensign Ledo."</span></em> The robot said.</p><p>"An annihilation weapon?" Meta Knight whispered.</p><p>"What are the Hideauze?" Bandana Dee continued.</p><p>The mech in front of them responded <span class="u"><em>"Enemy. Coexistence is impossible. Though you are not humans, we offer you to join the alliance. We request dialogue. Who is your commander?"</em></span></p><hr/><p>While Chamber gave his response, Ledo noticed that the blue creature behind him was making gestures with his gloved hands. Four other creatures had come to the front and pointed their weapons at him. He noticed the egg and tarantula creature even beginning to create something from their hands.</p><p>"Chamber…what did you tell them!?" the ensign questioned. </p><p><em>"</em> <em> <span class="u">I told them of the alliance's purpose and asked to see their commander."</span> </em> </p><p>"That's good, but why are they still hostile towards us?"</p><hr/><p>"The Meta-Knights came just in time!" Dedede smirked.</p><p>"Is there someone else inside the mecha? If so, come out and lower your weapons!" Bandana Dee shouted.</p><p>The mecha and young man seemed to be confused by the statement, but Bandana Dee was able to figure out something from their reactions.</p><p>"Hey, what's going on? Why isn't the guy coming out?" Dedede asked.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"This machine is unmanned." </em></span>The robot finally spoke.</p><p>"Huh? How can it be unmanned!?"</p><p>"That robot is being controlled by an AI." Kirby answered.</p><p>"You gotta be kidding me!" the monarch exclaimed.</p><p>Unlike the others, he had never seen a sentient AI before, so the concept seemed to be a bit far-fetched to him.</p><p>"So…wait, what should we do now?" Taranza asked.</p><p>"You said you requested dialogue with our commander. I ask that you come with us to one of his castles. Your robot friend can come, but he must travel on his own. Are my instructions clear?" Bandana Dee said.</p><p>The two conversed before the robot said <em>"<span class="u">Understood… we shall follow you."</span></em><span class="u">.</span></p><p>"Bandana, what are you doing!?" The king yelled.</p><p>"Taking them to a place where you'll be more comfortable talking to them."</p><p>The precession to the castle began.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, that's the end of Chapter 1. This is my first fiction posted on this site, so please give me feedback to see what I can improve on for future chapters.</p><p>I had to use a made-up language generator since the Wingdings I used in the original Word document wouldn't transition over. A pity in my opinion, since using a translator would've allowed the reader to see what the characters are actually saying. If anything, I feel it helps emphasize the language barrier.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Making Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2: Making Friends</strong>
</p><p>Ledo sat on the ledge of the castle wall with Chamber behind him. While he did have some area to move around, it wasn't much. Part of it was blocked off by the creatures that the blue orb was commanding earlier, likely his subordinates if his and his AI's observations are correct. Obviously, they were meant to be standing guard over him. The ensign just sat there drinking his rations in silence. It took Chamber's voice to break the silence.</p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, I fail to see the logic in your actions. Please explain why we are prolonging this stalemate. This machine has more than enough weapons to overpower them."</em> </span>
</p><p>"This is our best option." He replied. </p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">Reasonable course of action: overpower the armed and subdue them. Then attack their nerve center and subdue any resistance."</span> </em>
</p><p>"Our priority is establishing contact and determining our exact location. Since you said this is an entirely new planet, we have no other choice but to rely on them." Ledo played with his pistol.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Agreed, but with reservations."</em></span> </p><p>He then turned to the landscape. "This place is abundant in water and air. It's the ideal land that the Alliance was searching for. It could replace Avalon as our new hub." </p><p><span class="u"> <em>"</em> </span> <span class="u"><em>I believe that judgement goes beyond the limitations of your post."</em> </span></p><p>Ledo chuckled, taking out one of the objects he discovered upon leaving Chamber's cockpit out of his pocket. It was a Hideauze claw, which had likely broken off when they were attacked. He had made a habit of putting holes into it.</p><p>"Have you made contact yet?" he asked. </p><p>
  <em><span class="u">"I am continuously broadcasting a distress signal but have received no reply. If you continue to operate independently, you will not be able to obtain necessary supplies and will then cause metabolic issues. Reasonable course of action: escape these surroundings and return to cryostasis."</span> </em>
</p><p>The only thing the ensign could respond with was a sigh before continuing work on the claw.</p><hr/><p>"I dunno what you were thinking when you decided to bring them back here, Bandana." The king grumbled as he peeled an orange.</p><p>"They said they wanted to speak with the commander, so I thought you would be more able to talk with them in a scenery you were comfortable with." The Dee replied. His liege sighed, not wanting to talk to the person who had used him as a hostage for a reason unknown to him.</p><p>"You know you two didn't have to come back with me, right? I know at least Meta Knight tends to be busy and stuff." The king turned his attention to his two puff friends. Kirby had been making work of the tea and scones on the table while Meta Knight was polishing his sword.</p><p>"Oh, it's fine. I didn't have anything else to do today." The blue puff subtly raised his mask enough to sip his tea.</p><p>"Yeah, sorry it ain't coffee. I know how much you seem to love it." The monarch replied only to get a glare in response.</p><p>"Oh? Did he want coffee? I could easily whip some up in a few minutes! I make a killer brew!" Magolor chirped from the other side of the room where he and Taranza were playing chess. "No thank you." The knight responded.</p><p>Dedede didn't like to admit it, but he enjoyed having the master and student over, if only to watch their teatime interactions. While they were usually the same, they had details changed to them. It would start out with Meta Knight reading or polishing his sword, while Kirby told the group about this cool or interesting thing he did, like a child excitedly telling their parent about their day. During this, Taranza would bring the tea, which the knight or Bandana would serve. He would then take another tray to his own table where he would play checkers or chess with Simirror or another of Dedede's subordinates unless Magolor or Marx came over (Though he doesn't like playing with Marx, since he usually cheats). When the scones came, Dedede and Kirby would eat them up, with the other two grabbing one occasionally. Sometimes he would give Meta Knight a chocolate one, which he would take, eyes briefly flickering magenta with embarrassment. Things were different today, though. Everyone but Kirby was on edge from the encounter with the strange visitor who identified himself as Ledo and his robot Chamber. The fact that barely anyone but Kirby was eating the scones made that obvious.</p><p>"So…uh…how was everyone's day?" Kirby tried to converse with the others.</p><p>"We all had the same experience today, we met someone who came from the sky." The Waddle Dee drank his tea.</p><p>"How was my day? HOW WAS MY DAY!? I GOT FLIPPED OVER A GIANT ROBOT, HELD HOSTAGE, AND DRAGGED ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE OF THE SEA, HOW WAS YOUR DAY!?" Dedede slammed his fist on the table and started grumbling about how he's going to give this stranger who threatened him a life sentence as Kirby and Bandanna Dee slowly looked at each other.</p><p>Meta Knight slipped a scone under his mask. "All of that was your own fault, if I recall correctly. You were the one who decided to try to remove my mask and go to the robot with no one but Taranza to protect you. No offense, Taranza."</p><p>"None taken." The spider mage replied.</p><p>"Oh…uh…I did some maintenance on the Lor and then Dedede called me and that's it." Magolor said, as if he was vaguely recalling the events of his morning.</p><p>"I did nothing really interesting. Most was that I tried to start a new hobby of sewing." Taranza sighed. It was common knowledge within this group of friends that Taranza had tried to take up multiple hobbies in attempt to help him move on from Sectonia.</p><p>"Outside of this incident, my day was quite pleasant. I woke up, had breakfast, and did some training before you contacted me." Meta Knight never really went into detail about his day.</p><p>"Didja oversleep again?"</p><p>"Can it, Dedede."</p><p>"I slept." Kirby said.</p><p>"Of course, you did…" his mentor sighed.</p><p>"Yo, Taranza, can you bring some more scones?" the monarch asked, stuffing one into his mouth.</p><p>"I'd rather you not spoil your appetite before dinner, your highness." The young mage replied.</p><p>"Ugh… it's that late already?" the king sighed and continued "Yeah…uh…you guys want to stay over for dinner?" Kirby nodded happily, as expected.</p><p>"I shall accept your offer and consider it an apology for attempting to remove my mask earlier today." The knight replied.</p><p>"HEY! BE GRATEFUL I DIDN'T THROW YOU IN THE DUNGEON WHEN WE GOT HERE, OKAY?!" he slammed his hand on the table again.</p><p>"Even if you did, you'd have my crew to answer to." by his tone of voice, the pink puff could tell that Meta Knight was smirking under his mask.</p><p>While the two of them began their bickering, Kirby noticed some Waddle Dees carting in apples through the hall outside. Those apples were likely for tonight's dinner, courtesy of Whispy Woods, but seeing them gave Kirby an idea. If Dedede wasn't going to talk to Ledo…</p><hr/><p>The sun was slowly beginning to set. Sitting around had given Ledo enough time to carve out more of the bone-flute he was making. It was extremely minor, but at least it felt like he was doing something. If Chamber knew about it, he might have questioned why the ensign was wasting time on such a minor thing. Well, all he can really do right now is sit and wait for someone in the Alliance to contact him. Even if he wasn't so focused on making contact with one of his fellow soldiers, it didn't seem like the four guards before him would easily have a conversation with him.</p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">Someone is approaching."</span></em>
</p><p>Ledo quickly put away the flute and turned his head to see what it was. It was the pink ball creature he had seen when he awakened. He carried something big and red in his stubby hands. Behind him was the metal-faced blue creature that cornered him to Chamber earlier that day when they were on the cliff overlooking the sea. However, it no longer had the wing-like appendages that Ledo had seen it with at that time, but some kind of cloth wrapped around its body.</p><p>"Mee, shitah me." The blue one said to the four guards who served as his "ledge mates".</p><p>The four guards stepped back, widening the field that the young man could walk in. But this wasn't supposed to allow him to move about more, this was apparently for the pink creature to enter. The pink creature stepped forward and stood firmly.</p><hr/><p>"You really think that this is a good idea, Bandana?" Dedede asked, watching the events from behind a pillar.</p><p>"Well, you refused to speak to him, so what else were we going to do?" Bandana replied.</p><p>"We coulda just left him alone, y'know. Not provoke him an' that?" the king suggested. "I agree that we shouldn't provoke him. But we can't exactly leave him alone, your highness." Taranza commented.</p><p>"Okay, okay, I get it, we can't leave him alone. But did we have to send that pink lump to do it?"</p><p>"Must I remind you that the reason for this is because you refused to speak to him?" the spider mage replied.</p><p>"He. Held. Me. Hostage." Dedede whispered sharply.</p><p>"You know, this is probably why Kirby was the best candidate to do this…other than the fact that no one else volunteered. He's very forgiving and loves to make new friends." Magolor observed.</p><p>"I know, but are you sure he's gonna be fine?" the king asked, gripping the pillar he was behind.</p><p>"You know he will be. He's gotten himself out of worse. Besides, he has 'that'." Bandana Dee pointed to the crystal-like crown Kirby was carrying on a belt Meta Knight let him borrow.</p><p>It was an Ability Item, specifically for the Ice Copy Ability. If Kirby was in any sort of danger, all he would have to do is swallow that item and freeze Ledo and Chamber. Well, they were at least hoping that he would be able to freeze Chamber, since that was a safer option than the more guaranteed and dangerous Microphone.</p><hr/><p>Ledo remained on guard, not knowing what this pink ball would do next.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Hypothesis: The threat level is minimal. It is possible that they have been sent as an envoy."</em> </span>Chamber finally said.</p><p>"An envoy?" the ensign turned towards the creature.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Shall I intercept him?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Not necessary."</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">Roger." </span></em>
</p><p>The young man stood up and walked a few paces closer, kneeling down again so he could be more on his level. Ledo looked at the item it was carrying. </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">It appears to be a piece of fruit."</span></em> </p><p>"A…piece of fruit?"</p><p>The pink creature continued to keep eye contact with him as it broke the fruit it was carrying in half. There was silence until it ate one of the halves, seemingly chewing and swallowing in one gulp. It broke the other half into a quarter and offered it to the ensign.</p><p>"…what does it want?" </p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"Hypothesis: it is edible."</em> </span>
</p><p>"So, it wants me to eat it?" </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Hypothesis: it is a friendship ritual."</em></span> </p><p>Ledo groaned. "But…are we supposed to eat the whole thing in one gulp like that?" </p><p><em>"</em><em>I leave the decision up to you, ensign."</em> He only exhaled sharply.</p><p>"Chamber, ask them what its objective is." he rather know what all of this was about before eating this fruit. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Nede zo tah shibiizo?"</span></em> </p><p>The pink ball blinked in surprise and responded, "Zo zobii shi de zotah tah!". </p><p><em>"<span class="u">He seeks conversation."</span></em> </p><p>"He?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">The side conversations from the others in the crowd seem to identify him as male." </span></em>Male? Based on this creature's mannerisms, his high-pitched voice, and his gender...they sent a child as an envoy?!</p><p>The ball then spoke up again "Zo deshi tahtahbo tah tah bii bika! Denebii detah bi, shi Zo tahtahbo tah tah zobii tee!" </p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"He said that he also thought that you were hungry and thought you would like apples because they taste good."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Very well." Ledo took the apple from the puff and devoured it. It was sweet and crispy, not like anything he had tasted before. He now understood why the creature downed it quickly, it was that good. He didn't even notice the seeds! The crowd around them seemed to react with surprise when he finished.</p><p>The pink ball's eyes lit up and he began to speak excitedly " Zo' Kabii! Zo' zobii shi la tah!" Ledo looked over to Chamber. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">He says his name is Kirby and that it's nice to meet you."</span></em> The ensign nodded.</p><p>He noticed the blue creature lean towards the pink ball named Kirby and whisper something. The puff nodded and then began to speak again. "Ze ta roka ro kaze meebii tee la, me kotaze re ro biize meebii?" </p><p><span class="u"><em>"He is asking about where you came from. He knows that you came from the sky, but he wants to know more."</em></span> The AI translated.</p><hr/><p>"So, you're soldiers at war with these things called the Hideauze?" Kirby asked. </p><p><em><span class="u">"</span></em><em><span class="u">Correct.</span>"</em> Chamber replied. Kirby had sat down on the balcony in front of Ledo to better engage in conversation.</p><p>"Are you guys strong?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Super…strong…"</span></em> </p><p>"Oh…"</p><p>Kirby turned to Meta Knight, who was continuing to stand behind him, cape wrapped around himself. "Meta-sensei, you should fight them if you want to do some training to get stronger!" he laughed.</p><p>"I think I'll pass this time, Kirby." His mentor chuckled inwardly.</p><p>The young man tilted his head in confusion as he read the translated text that had appeared on the holographic screen beside him. He'll likely learn about that at another point.</p><p>The person began to speak again, followed by the robot <em>"<span class="u">This planet is completely new to us. We would like you to tell us about it."</span></em> The pink puff seemed amazed that the AI was picking up their language so quickly.</p><p>"Oh…I can tell you about that, but first…you're an AI, right?" </p><p><span class="u"><em>"That is correct. I am an Autonomous Support Enlightenment Interface System."</em></span> </p><p>"That's what I thought." Kirby seemed to sigh.</p><p>Ledo spoke again while Chamber translated <span class="u"><em>"Chamber is an artificial intelligence that assists in battle and maintaining life support."</em></span>. The puff nodded.</p><p>"You asked about Popstar, right?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Pop... star...?</span>"</em> the machine questioned</p><p>"Yeah! Popstar! That's the name of the planet you're on! And the place that you're in right now is Dreamland!" the pink puff said happily. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Dreamland?"</em></span> </p><p>"It's the biggest place on Popstar! At least that's what people tell me; I don't really care about the details. Dreamland to me is just home to me and my friends. We also tend to get attacked by a lot of things, so I have to defend it." He smiled.</p><p>
  <em><span class="u">"So, these things that attack Dreamland are your enemies?"</span> </em>
</p><p> "Yeah, I guess you could say that…" the pink boy sighed "They put people in danger and cause them trouble. Some people say it's a bad habit, but I can't leave people alone if they need help or are in danger." </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Do you believe that it's a bad habit?"</span></em> the mech asked.</p><p>"No, not at all. That's just how I am." He turned to the people behind him. "Oh, do you want something to eat, Ledo? I haven't eaten dinner yet, and you'll probably need something to eat if I'm gonna tell you more about Dreamland."</p><p>Ledo finished reading the translation and spoke up, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">I do not mind if you eat. I am not that hungry right now.</span>"</em> </p><p>"Alright, let's have a picnic here then!" Kirby smiled. A Waddle Dee brought over a picnic blanket, which Kirby laid on the ground and sat on. His mentor's eyes flickered white while he stood behind him while Ledo stared, dumbfounded at what iwas going on. It seems that the puff's energetic nature was something he wasn't expecting. "You can sit on the blanket as well!" The young man complied with the puff's offer, but still a little hesitant.</p><p>Upon sitting down, a few of the Dees entered carrying food and placed it on the blanket. There was a lot of food such as chicken, some fruits, vegetables, and a bowl of mashed potatoes. One of the Dees gave Ledo a spoon and plate. Even though he had said that he wasn't hungry, they likely rather that he take it. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, so to say. There was also a pitcher of ice water and two glasses, likely since they would be talking.</p><p>"There's a lot of yummy food in Dreamland and we use the Sparkling Stars in the sky to help find it." He pointed to the sky. Ledo looked up to see several stars in the sky, but there were five or four that were bigger than others. The pink envoy continued "Without them, people have a hard time finding food." </p><p><em><span class="u">"You sound like this has happened before. Has it?</span>"</em> Chamber asked.</p><p>The pink ball looked back to his mentor with a look of concern on his face. His mentor gave a nod before Kirby began to speak "It happened when I first came here several years ago. It was spring when it happened. The ruler of Dreamland, King Dedede stole ALLLLLL the food in Dreamland and ALLLLLL the Sparkling Stars!" he raised his stubs at that to emphasize how big the event was. Dedede groaned as he stood against the pillar. Nobody was ever going to let him live that incident down, it seems.</p><p>"He gave each of the Sparkling Stars to his minions, so I had to take them down to get them back! Then I had to take him down to get all the food in Dreamland back!" He spun at "all" to emphasize.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">Did you destroy this Dedede king?" </span></em>Chamber translated for Ledo.</p><p>"No! Not at all! I just sent him flying out of the castle!"</p><p> <span class="u"><em>"If he is your enemy, why didn't you destroy him?"</em> </span>the AI questioned.</p><p>"Because I believed he's a good person at heart." Kirby responded. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Please explain."</em></span> </p><p>"Dedede can be selfish sometimes, but he never really did it out of pure malice. He's gotten a lot better over the years as well. Like, every other time where I fought him, it was because he was possessed by something!" He leaned close to Ledo. "Between you and me, he really cares about his subordinates and friends, but he tends to have too much pride to say it." The young man nodded in understanding. "There was another time I fought him outside of those reasons, but that was a moment of impulsivity…and a bit because he didn't tell me anything." he seemed a bit embarrassed.</p><p>Ledo suddenly began to speak again <em>"<span class="u">Would you care to go into detail about this incident?"</span></em> Kirby looked back to Meta Knight, who gave him a nod, before he began again.</p><p>"You'll find this out when you go to sleep tonight, but Dreamland is one of the best places to get sleep ever! You see, all our dreams come from this place called the Fountain of Dreams. When you sleep, dreams flow from the fountain and give you good dreams and a good night's rest." </p><p><span class="u"><em>"I fail to understand how that works but continue on."</em></span> </p><p>Kirby poured a glass of water and drank it. After following up with a bowl of peas, he continued "But a few months or a year after the incident with the food, people couldn't dream because Dedede broke the Star Rod that powered the fountain. I got angry at him for that and for also bathing in the waters of the fountain."</p><p>Ledo spoke again, with Chamber translating <em>"<span class="u">I'm sure anyone would be angry because of that.".</span></em> </p><p>Kirby nodded "Well, I was! So, I went out and fought the people Dedede gave the Star Rod pieces to! It took me ALLLLLL over Dreamland!" he raised his stubs for emphasis again. "Then, it turns out that the reason Dedede had broken the Star Rod in the first place was because this being called Nightmare was trying to invade the Fountain! He wanted to spread his bad dreams through the fountain! Then I had to go up into the sky and destroy Nightmare so the Fountain of Dreams can return to normal!" The young man nodded, then paused as if thinking.</p><p>After a few minutes, he began to speak, with the AI following <em>"<span class="u">You brought up that you're the one who protects Dreamland in times of crisis. How are you able to do that without weapons?"</span></em>  It might not have been the best question, since Ledo remembered seeing him using a bow earlier, even though he also had a hat on at the time. That was most curious.</p><p>"Oh? Didn't I tell you about my Copy Ability?" Kirby asked. Seeing the ensign shaking his head, the puff detached the Ability Item from the belt and ate it. Ledo could only watch in shock as he saw Kirby turn blue and gain the ice-crystal crown on his head.</p><p>"I have the ability to inhale enemies and things and copy their abilities! That's what my Copy Ability is!" he then threw off the ice crown, turning it back into an Ability Item.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Is everyone in Dreamland able to perform this 'Copy Ability'?"</em></span> Chamber asked.</p><p>"No, I'm the only one that can use it from what I know…". The puff looked back to the blue knight, who nodded. </p><p>
  <em>"I see." </em>
</p><p>Kirby then began to stretch "Well, it's getting late now, and I'm starting to get tired. Do you two want to stay at my house tonight?" Ledo looked at Chamber and began speaking. The two seemed to be having a conversation with each other. <em>"</em></p><p><em><span class="u">Are you sure you will be fine with that?</span>"</em> the translation came.</p><p>"Of course! We're friends now, aren't we?" the pink puff exclaimed. Ledo's eyes widened when he read those words. This ball of pink was nothing like he had ever met before. Just several hours of talking to someone and he considers them his friend? He dropped back into conversation with Chamber.</p><p>"Felle na afre so?" he turned to the robot. </p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"Defil mo damo yoka, sine</em><em>. Jo ka fulle afru nalre mii kan</em><em>."</em> </span>
</p><p>There was a nod before Ledo began to speak to Kirby. </p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"We will accept your offer. However, we will remain cautious."</em> </span>
</p><p>The pink puff smiled and nodded. "I'm sure you guys wouldn't want to be stuck here on this ledge all night anyway!" The young man nodded. "Hey, Bandana, is it fine if he comes home with me?" the puff asked.</p><p>"Uh…there's a problem with that, Kirby." Bandana responded.</p><p>"What's that?"</p><p>"The two of them are still under 'ledge-arrest'." The Waddle Dee sighed. </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Please explain.</span>"</em> The AI said.</p><p>"The reason why you two have been stuck on the ledge of this castle the past few hours with the Meta-Knights guarding you is because you're under ledge-arrest. Normally, it'd be called house-arrest, but because you're not in a house, we called it ledge-arrest."</p><p>Ledo sighed heavily and began to speak with Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">For what reason are we under ledge-arrest?"</span></em></p><p>"You took the king hostage." That was when Kirby got an idea.</p><p>He went to the pillar and grabbed King Dedede, dragging him back over. The two stared at each other in silence before Ledo narrowed his eyes, acknowledging that this indeed was the hostage. <em>"<span class="u">Are you King Dedede?"</span></em>Chamber's translation of Ledo's words started again.</p><p>"Yup! I'm the mighty and powerful King Dedede!" the monarch grinned. The ensign spoke again, and his words translated <em>"<span class="u">I am greatly sorry for holding you hostage earlier today, your highness</span>."</em> He lowered his head, as he remembered hearing this action would increase the chances of someone accepting an apology.</p><p>"Oh…uh…I guess I'll accept your apology. I'd be a massive jerk if I didn't at this point, sooooo..." he turned around "You and the guy in the mech take care."</p><p>He was about to walk off when Kirby said "Hey, Dedede, you do know that Chamber is an AI, right? Were you listening to that conversation?" The king turned back around. "Yeah, but I kinda doubt that, ya know?"</p><p>"Oh? Well, then let's have Ledo show you!" the young man shook his head, thinking of how strange these people are.</p><p>The robot hoisted the king and pilot up to the cockpit and showed that it was empty. "By Nova, you were right! There's nothing inside of here!" he said in surprise.</p><p>"I told you so." Kirby smiled.</p><hr/><p>It was late at night when Kirby, Ledo, and Chamber returned to Kirby's small domed house. Chamber, of course, had to stay outside due to his side while the other two stayed in the house. Kirby had asked Ledo to wait in the doorway while he got out an extra futon for him to sleep on. This gave the two time to talk.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, is there a problem?"</span></em> </p><p>The young man turned to the mech. "Chamber…we learned a lot today, but I feel I just have more questions than answers." He sighed. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"I recommend resting tonight, ensign. Lack of sleep will lead to decrease in performance." </em></span>The AI responded.</p><p>"I guess I'll see if what Kirby said about dreams was true then. Good night, Chamber." </p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">Good night, ensign."</span></em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's quite an experience to go from doing art to writing stories, though writing is creating art with words.<br/>I chose Ice as Kirby's defensive ability because it was the first ability I thought of that could be used to stop movement off the top of my head. I could've also used Spider maybe, but I like Ice more.<br/>Not much to put here other than I hope everyone reading this is enjoying the story.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chivalry's Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Chivalry's Dance</strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, it is time to wake up."</em> </span>
</p><p>Ledo awoke to the sound of Chamber's voice. He felt… rested, like he was ready to take on the day. Could this be the effect of that Fountain of Dreams thing Kirby had been talking about yesterday? Speaking of which, his host still seemed to be asleep, as he could still hear soft breathing in the bed next to his.</p><p>"Should I investigate the home, Chamber?" the ensign asked. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"I leave that decision to you, ensign."</em></span> The young man nodded.</p><p>There wasn't much inside the house, likely because of how small it was. There was a chest, a fireplace, a bed, a lamp, a small stack of books, a bowl of fruit, a clock reading 10:15, and a basket. Ledo had a hard time imagining that someone could live in such simple conditions. Shouldn't there be more food in this place? Where did he get water? He'd ask Chamber, but the AI would likely comment that Dreamland is very different. Kirby didn't really complain about the size, likely because he mentioned the citizens of Dreamland built it for him as thanks for getting their food back. However, the size was a bit of a problem for Ledo, as he felt the only way he could 100% avoid banging his head on the ceiling was to sit or lay down. It made him wonder if all houses on Popstar were as small as Kirby's.</p><p>There were some items hanging on the wall or sitting on the fireplace shelf. The ensign assumed that they were gifts or souvenirs from Kirby's various trips to stop Popstar's invader of the month. Some were understandable, like a medal-like shard that glistened and a picture of Kirby with what Ledo assumed to be several of his friends, recognizing the king, the two mages, the masked blue puff, the king's bandanaed advisor, but there are several others he didn't recognize in the picture. One of the things he didn't understand was why a sock was hanging on the wall. He could ask Kirby about that when he woke up.</p><p>Speaking of which, he was surprised his host wasn't up yet, even with the amount of sunlight entering his room. That was when the puff began to stir awake.</p><hr/><p>"…morning already?" Kirby yawned and looked around the room. "Ah! Good morning, Ledo! Did you sleep well?" he waved to the young man in front of him.</p><p>The young man spoke, the AI following <span class="u"><em>"Good morning. I slept well, thank you."</em> </span></p><p>"That's great! I slept well, too!" the pink puff smiled as he stood up and looked at the clock on the fireplace. His eyes began to widen.</p><p>"OH NO! IT'S ALMOST 10:30!" he shouted, throwing his nightcap on his bed. Ledo could only look in confusion. "META KNIGHT WILL BE FURIOUS IF I MISS OUR TRAINING SESSION TODAY!" he grabbed a piece of fruit and was about to run out the door until it seemed like he suddenly remembered that Ledo was there. "Oh…uh…you wanna come with me? I'm sure he won't mind you being there." The ensign nodded and took one of the apples from the basket, running out to Chamber. "Be sure to follow me, okay?" Kirby said, as he summoned forth the Warp Star. That was when the two began to head off.</p><p>Ledo followed Kirby to a grassy meadow situated in the woods. The meadow was large enough for Chamber to kneel in, so he carefully maneuvered the mech within the area. Upon landing and getting out of the cockpit, he saw Kirby waiting for him to catch up. The ensign walked over next to him. They seemed to be the only ones in the meadow with no sign of anyone else there.</p><p>The young man looked around for a minute before speaking up "Cheinbar, kanzei to wan?" </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Filue ne juun eit hav sien reto</em><em>."</em> </span>He gave a nod and looked down at Kirby. He seemed to be looking for something, likely that Meta Knight person he was talking about. That was when something was thrown down from one of the trees, embedding itself into the earth and startling Ledo. It was a sword. Could this be an enemy attack!? He pulled out his laser pistol and held it in front of him, scanning the area.</p><p>"Calm down, Ledo! It's fine!" the pink puff exclaimed. The young man gave him a look of doubt upon reading the translation. Kirby pointed to a big tree with a rock under it.</p><p>On top of the rock stood a ball-like figure, with their back turned to them. Its cape blew in the wind. This was likely that Meta Knight person his host was talking about. "Ledo, you should take a couple of steps back or get behind something." Kirby grinned "We tend to fight rough." Upon finishing that translated sentence, the ensign sprinted to where Chamber was to keep out of what he assumed would be the line of fire.</p><p>Knowing that Ledo was safe, Kirby grabbed the sword from the ground, gaining a green hat with a yellow pom-pom on the end. It seems this was another one of Kirby's Copy Abilities. Even from this distance, Ledo could see the figure standing on the rock turn around. He immediately recognized it as the metal-faced blue puff creature from yesterday, the same one that cornered him by the sea and had accompanied Kirby when he came to talk to him yesterday. The blue puff threw off his cape, turning it into bat wings and the two began to fight with each other.</p><hr/><p><em><span class="u">"Ensign Ledo, I fail to see the logic in your actions this morning. Why did we follow Kirby here?"</span> </em>Chamber spoke.</p><p>"There's not much we can do right now, Chamber. All we really can do is wait to see if someone responds to our distress signal and learn more about this land." He responded, eyes fixed on the match. "Besides, it would be a good idea to learn about how combat works here." </p><p><span class="u"> <em>"</em> </span> <span class="u"><em>Agreed."</em> </span></p><p>The pink puff appeared to be pushing more and more with his attacks, with the blue puff defending against them at every swing. In between each swing, he could hear one of them talking, likely Kirby's opponent.</p><p>"They're just fighting with each other…is this really what they call a training session?" he sighed. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Simulating actual combat conditions is usually the best way to train. I believe you would understand this as much as anyone, ensign."</span></em>The AI commented. That was correct, to a point.</p><p>That was when Kirby gave a cry and swung his sword down to the ground, only for his opponent to dodge backwards. The blue puff shook his head and lunged back at the pink puff, who frantically blocked it. The two clashed swords for a bit before jumping back. They then charged at each other, yelling and unleashed a twirling slice, kicking up a storm. When the dust was clear, Kirby's sword was knocked into the ground. As for the opponent, there looked to be a slash on his mask, but his weapon was angled as if he was about to cut into the puff. Ledo then noticed a flicker of red in the blue opponent's eyes as he spoke sternly to Kirby.</p><p>Ledo read the translations on his monitor in surprise:</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "What did I tell you about holding back during our training sessions?" </em> </span>
</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">But I'm not holding back!" </span></em>
</p><p>Those flurries of attacks he saw from Kirby was him <em>holding back</em>?! </p><p><em>"<span class="u">It is not that surprising to see that Kirby was holding back, ensign. His threat levels had decreased significantly throughout the entire fight."</span></em> His AI partner commented. It was likely the result of Kirby being concerned that Ledo would somehow get hurt even though he was standing four meters away.</p><p>The pink puff pulled his sword out of the ground and held it in front of him. It seemed his next plan was to go on the defensive. The blue puff retreated into his cape, surprising the ensign. "Chamber, what happened? Is his opponent still there?" he asked.</p><p> <span class="u"><em>"There are life signs still present, ensign. Should I engage?"</em> </span></p><p>"…I don't think you should, but…!"</p><p>The puff jumped to the tree. Preparing for a stealth attack, it seemed. When the blue opponent reappeared, he seemed frantic. When he turned to face the tree, Kirby jumped out and quickly brought his sword down onto him just as he was moving to block the attack. The pink puff looked up and seemingly turned pale. Ledo looked to see what happened until he noticed two metal plates on either side of the blue opponent. The opponent seemed stunned for a few minutes until he pulled out his cape and seemingly warped away.</p><p>"…Chamber, what happened? Where did he go?" the ensign asked. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Signs of life detected near the large tree. A preemptive attack is recommended."</em></span> </p><p>"No, do not!"</p><p>Ledo could indeed see the figure had gone back to having his back turned towards the tree. Kirby then began to run towards the tree as if panicked. Ledo decided to chase after him to see what the problem was. When he came to where the two metal plates were, he saw that they together resembled the metal face that puff wore. </p><p><em>"</em><em>Ah…so it was a mask…"</em> the young man thought as he met up with Kirby, whose head (or rather, entire body) was bowed towards the figure and trembling. He seemed to be distressed about something. It began to make more sense once he started reading the translation of what he was saying.</p><hr/><p>"I'm sorry, Meta-sensei!" Kirby yelled at the figure.</p><p>His mentor finished adjusting his mask for a brief moment before heaving a sigh.</p><p>The blue puff spoke, his back still turned "There's no need to apologize, Kirby. I was stunned by what you pulled at the end." He turned to face his pupil. "Unleashing a surprise attack after I teleported with my cape certainly caught me off guard…" his eyes turned orange and then sky blue for a moment before returning to their normal yellow color.</p><p>"Yeah, but I thought you'd be angry at me for breaking your mask…" Kirby said.</p><p>"Was it an accident?" </p><p>"It was, but…"</p><p>"Then don't worry about it. I carry spares on me for a reason."</p><p>Normally, Meta Knight would stop their training if Kirby was close to breaking his mask, but it was likely a combination of both of their respective frustrations with each other and that surprise attack Kirby pulled off that threw him off of when a good stopping time was.</p><p>The mentor then noticed the young man from yesterday standing next to his student.</p><p>"…you did not see my face, did you?" he asked, gravely. The tone of his voice and the grass-green of his eyes indicated that he was serious.</p><p>The translation then came <em><span class="u">"I did not see your face. Your back was turned to me.</span>"</em>.</p><p>The blue puff sighed with relief, knowing that one of his most carefully guarded secrets was safe. There were a very select few that knew what he looked like without his mask. Usually those who knew did so either due to an accident or due to them earning a great amount of his trust, but it's normally by accident. This small list of people consisted of Kirby, the Meta-Knights, and Sailor Dee. King Dedede and Bandana Dee likely knew or had an idea, but they respected the knight enough not to say anything.</p><p>That's when he realized something. "I haven't properly introduced myself to you, have I?"</p><p>Ledo shook his head and spoke while Chamber translated <em>"<span class="u">You were the person who cornered me against Chamber and was with Kirby while talking to me yesterday."</span> </em></p><p>The knight nodded, seeing that he remembered.</p><p>"I'd like to apologize for cornering you like that. My name is Meta Knight. I only did that out of concern for this land." Upon reading the translation, the young man nodded in understanding. He then thought of something he wanted to ask, but he felt his AI companion would word it better. The word he was asking about seemed to come from their language anyway.</p><p>"Cheinbar, onnen sei sare "sehn-say" kongo zeian?"</p><p>That was when Chamber began to speak <em>"<span class="u">Question: Does the 'sensei' word that Kirby adds to your name mean anything</span>?" </em></p><p>"It means 'teacher'!" Kirby chirped and continued "Meta Knight is my mentor! He helped me learn how to use and improve my copy abilities!" The knight nodded. That helped explain to the young man why Kirby seemed to be constantly looking to the warrior yesterday as if asking for approval or advice. "Sensei, did you bring them?" Kirby asked in excitement.</p><p>His mentor chuckled "Of course. Now seems to be about a good time."</p><p>The knight reached into some kind of subspace within his cape and produced a box wrapped with a bag. He opened it up to reveal a stack of boxes that appeared to have food in them. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">What are these?"</span></em> Chamber's translation asked.</p><p>"They're lunch boxes. My subordinate Sailor Dee made them this morning. Kirby and I commonly sit here and eat lunch when we finish our training session for the day." He handed the top box to the young man. "He made one for you as well. He didn't know if you would be coming with Kirby, but he wanted to make one for you just in case."</p><p>Ledo took the box in his hand and responded, with Chamber translating his words <em>"<span class="u">Thank you.</span>"</em>.</p><p>The young man and the two puffs sat against the rock and began to eat. Normally, Ledo would be more cautious about eating new foods, especially if they were from someone he had just met, but he was honestly too hungry at this point. While he didn't recognize a lot of the food in this box, what he did know is that it tasted delicious.</p><p>During the meal, Chamber suddenly spoke <em>"<span class="u">Meta Knight, I believe that Kirby mentioned that you taught him how to use his Copy Ability. Is it possible that you also possess this so-called Copy Ability?</span>" </em>the knight froze for a moment as he also saw Kirby look at him. It seems this was something not even his student knew.</p><p>The knight cleared his throat before saying "I neither confirm nor deny such a thing.". The conclusion the ensign drew from that was "he could, he just chooses not to".</p><p>During a break in his eating, the ensign looked over to Meta Knight. He ate a lot slower than Kirby, but that was likely because his student seems to inhale his food.</p><p>"Kirby, take your time. Nobody is going to take it from you." He uttered to his student, who started to slow his eating down as if he felt embarrassed from being called out.</p><p>"Sorry…it's a bad habit…"</p><p>"And don't talk with your mouth full."</p><p>"Sorry!"</p><p>"Oh, dear Nova…"</p><p>From these kinds of interactions, Ledo could've sworn the two were parent and child. He then noticed that the mentor's mask was slightly raised.</p><p>It wasn't much, but he seemed to have raised it just enough so he could eat. Most he could see was a mouth and a small part of blush, almost like Kirby had, but it was mostly covered by the lower part of the mask. The young man wanted to get a closer look, but he likely couldn't without the knight lashing out at him. It was important enough for the knight to ask if the young man knew apparently.</p><p>"It's not polite to stare, Ensign Ledo." The knight suddenly said coldly.</p><p>He didn't even turn to face him, he just continued to look at the meadow like he was aware of the staring. It was so cold that the ensign didn't need to read the translation to know that what he just did wasn't a good decision. Ledo decided to look away and continue eating his lunch. At least he now had some kind of idea why Kirby never wanted to tempt angering his mentor. Well, that was more "irritate" than "anger". Either way, it seems like he is one of the last people the ensign would want to truly anger.</p><p>The three continued to eat in silence before Ledo spoke up, with his AI translating <span class="u"><em>"When we first arrived here you tossed a sword at Kirby. Do you always do that?"</em></span>.</p><p>"When I'm not under any kind of mind control, yes." The blue puff replied. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Why</span>?" </em>the young man asked.</p><p>"It's against my code of honor to duel a disadvantaged opponent. Throwing my opponent a sword with the hope that they take it is my way of making us fight as equals. At least, this is the case with Kirby, as he's the only other person I know of that knows how to use a sword."</p><p>The translation started again <em>"<span class="u">What happens if he refuses to take the sword?" </span></em></p><p>"Oh, he's never refused it during our actual duels. During our Sword training sessions, I'd somewhat have to coax him. But occasionally that doesn't work, then I wait a couple of minutes for him to pick it up. If he still refuses to after then, I'll change around our schedule and we'll focus on whatever Copy Ability he wants to use that day instead. But, there's a small price to pay for that…" he uttered.</p><p>"I know, no dessert after lunch…" the pink puff sighed. Based on his tone, the young man assumed that this has happened several times before. Thinking about it, those kinds of training methods made a bit of sense to Ledo.</p><p>It was a more minor case, but it reminded him of how those who complete their military service are rewarded with a few months stay in Avalon. In return for completing something, a reward of almost equal value is given. In this case, completing that intense training that he had watched them do earlier would be rewarded with a no-doubt high calorie treat. Adding that to the large amount of food that Kirby is implied to normally eat should've made him fat. He then remembered a hypothesis that Chamber gave on their trip here: Kirby's stomach may be a black hole. The idea sent a chill down Ledo's spine, but it made too much sense when all the factors were put together. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Is…your stomach a black hole, Kirby?</span>"</em> Chamber translated the words Ledo said.</p><p>"A black hole? What's that? Is it yummy?"</p><p>"It's not a black hole, he actually has his limits. If anything, he has a large stomach and a speedy metabolism." The blue knight explained, as if he already heard that question before.</p><p>A few minutes of eating later, the ensign decided to speak up again <em><span class="u">"Kirby, how long have you known Meta Knight</span>?"</em> </p><p>"Ever since the incident with the Fountain of Dreams." The puff gave a quick reply "He was one of the people Dedede gave a Star Rod piece to! He also sent his subordinates to fight me pretty much at every place I went. It was annoying, but it made sense when I later found out that he actually did that to train me so I could fight Nightmare. My duel with him during that was his final test for that." A sink-or-swim type. Of course. "He also did help me out sometimes, like he tossed me Invincible Candy sometimes!"</p><p>Kirby's mentor then added "Yes, and I remember that you called me 'the candy knight' whenever you saw me afterwards because of that."</p><p>"Well, that's because you never gave me your name until we fought!"</p><p>"I remember giving you my name when I first met you, Kirby. You just only remembered me for tossing you candy."</p><p>"That's not true!"</p><p>Subordinates, earlier Kirby mentioned subordinates. That reminded him… </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Were those people who were guarding me during my ledge-arrest your subordinates?</span>"</em> The AI translated for Ledo.</p><p>"Correct. Those people who were guarding you were my men. I'm the head of a group of elite warriors called "the Meta Knights". Each of them is skilled with their own according weapon." The blue puff explained to him.</p><p>"They're also really, really loyal to you. You know, like when…" Kirby began to talk before fading off, as if he seemed unsure if he wanted to continue the subject.</p><p>"That's true. I still remember it vividly."</p><p>There was more silence before Ledo started to speak, just before being cut off by Meta Knight "I guess you do have the right to know about that, since it is a part of Dreamland's history.".</p><p>"Do you want me to tell him about it, Meta-sensei?" Kirby asked.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Is this about your knights' loyalty to you?"</span></em> the translation said.</p><p>"Yeah, it has something to do with that. Maybe a year or two after the Fountain of Dreams incident, and I found out that Meta Knight and his crew constructed an aerial battleship called the Halberd and was planning to take over Dreamland with it." Ledo blinked in surprise, both at the context and the fact that Kirby talked about it like he had just gone to the store. "I managed to destroy it part by part and caused it to sink to the bottom of the Secret Sea."</p><p>Ledo spoke again, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">Meta Knight, you said you're concerned for this land. Why would you attack it?"</span></em></p><p>Meta Knight only sighed, as if he had heard that question asked before "At the time, I was sick of Dreamland's lazy lifestyle. At the time I did it, Kirby was the only thing in the way of protecting this land. By building my own battleship, I planned to force the other citizens to learn to take up arms so they could defend the land themselves instead of relying on Kirby on the time. I wanted them to do so, and I would do it even if I'd have to force them to.". While Meta Knight's almost military-like reasoning made such actions justified to Ledo, he couldn't help but think of what Kirby said yesterday about himself: he can't help but go out of his way to help people. </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">I assume that Kirby stopped you because you were causing problems for Dreamland?"</span></em>Chamber translated his words.</p><p>"That's correct." The blue puff replied and continued "and about my crew's loyalty? They stayed on the ship with me even though I told them to evacuate. In retrospect, I was a bit reckless, since I dueled Kirby while the ship was going down and chased after him." Ledo could only nod.</p><p>"Oh! But at least you were able to raise and repair the Halberd at one point!" Kirby said cheerfully.</p><p>"Yes, but…it took several years…" he sighed.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Meta Knight, if I recall correctly, you had attempted to disassemble me when we first landed. Would you care to explain why?"</span></em> Chamber had spoken up.</p><p>"Simple curiosity. I've never seen any technology like yours before and I wanted to learn more about it." The knight explained.</p><p>"Thinking about making upgrades to the Halberd?" his student asked.</p><p>"Perhaps." The mentor mused, eyes pink with amusement. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">I assume you have an interest in technology</span>?"</em> Ledo's words were translated.</p><p>"In machinery in general, yes. I designed and helped build my own battleship, of course." There seemed to be a tinge of pride in his voice.</p><p>"Yeah, that's fine and all, just don't get too fixated when you see new technology, sensei." Kirby said.</p><p>"No promises, Kirby." The ensign briefly noticed a smirk on his face. He lowered his mask and turned to the young man. "Are you finished eating, Ledo?"</p><p>The ensign looked down at his food to notice that he had indeed finished the food inside the lunch box. Chamber then translated what he said while returning the box to him <em>"<span class="u">Yes, thank you for the food.</span>"</em>.</p><p>"You're welcome. I have one more thing." Meta Knight opened up one more box that was still in his bag. There were yellow squares inside. "Both of you take two. There's enough for both of you." Kirby happily grabbed two and immediately ate them, while Ledo was more hesitant. "They're lemon bars. I wanted to give Sailor Dee a break by making the dessert for our lunch today and I think they turned out well."</p><p>"They're really, really good, sensei!"</p><p>"Thank you, Kirby." The young man decided to take the pink puff's word for it and ate it. It was tart and soft but had an air of elegance to them. Ledo wanted to say something, but he just couldn't. "I take it by the look on your face that you like it?" the knight asked. The young man nodded. Meta Knight packed up the box and put it back into the subspace within his cape.</p><p>"Thank you for lunch, sensei! It was great!" the young puff exclaimed.</p><p>"You're very welcome, Kirby. I'll be sure to tell Sailor Dee that you enjoyed his food." The older puff replied, standing up.</p><p>"So, we meet here again in two days, right, Sensei?" Kirby asked, with his teacher responding with a nod.</p><p>"Yes, in two days. Your stance has become a bit rusty and we'll need to work a bit more on your block, so we'll start off with that. After that, we'll practice with aiming your Cutter ability backwards. I noticed that you've been missing your mark with it recently. Understood?"</p><p>"Yup! I'll see you then!" Kirby was about to run off before Meta Knight grabbed him. "Not so fast. Ledo, are you doing anything tomorrow?" The ensign shook his head. "I see. Dedede and Bandana should be open tomorrow as well…what do you say we take you on a trip around Dreamland?"</p><p>"That sounds like fun!" Kirby said, only to be hushed by his teacher. The ensign took a moment to think. It probably would be a good idea to see more of the land than to hear about it.</p><p>He spoke up while Chamber translated <em>"<span class="u">That would be fine, thank you.</span>"</em> </p><p>"Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow, sensei!" The pink puff called out.</p><p>"Wait, Kirby! I didn't tell you where we would meet!" his teacher yelled back.</p><p>"Call me when you and Dedede figure that out! I promised Rick, Coo, and Kine that I would meet up with them today!" Kirby ran off before Meta Knight could get out another word.</p><p>The knight let out a sigh "Dear Nova, my student can be such a pain sometimes…". He turned to Ledo. "Are you going to go follow him?"</p><p>The young man nodded and spoke again, Chamber translating <em>"<span class="u">I don't really have much to do now, so I might as well accompany him</span>."</em> </p><p>He began walking towards Chamber until he heard the knight again "Ledo, catch this!".</p><p>He turned back around and grabbed the item that was tossed at him. It was a white lollipop with a red swirl and a star on it. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">What is this</span>?"</em> the young man asked, Chamber translating.</p><p>"One of those Invincible Candies that Kirby mentioned." The knight explained. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">And I can have this</span>?"</em> the AI asked for Ledo.</p><p>"Yes… on the condition that you let me take a look at that mech of yours at some point." He heard a tinge of amusement in his voice. </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Is this a bribe</span>?"</em> His mech translated.</p><p>"Truthfully, no. It's an apology gift for yesterday. Although I still would like to take a look at your mech at some point. At least with proper permission this time." He responded.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">I see… thank you.</span>"</em> The mech translated his words as he was lifted up to the cockpit. At that moment, Meta Knight unfurled his wings and flew off.</p><p>Now, all Ledo would have to do is catch up with Kirby…</p><hr/><p>"I assume we haven't made contact with anyone yet, Chamber?" Ledo had continued work on his bone flute.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Negative, ensign. As I have stated before, I have been constantly sending out a distress signal. I shall notify you when I receive one</span>."</em> The only thing the ensign could do was sigh.</p><p>"An aerial battleship, huh? Sounds like somewhere we would be right at home." </p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">Agreed, but with reservations. We are only assuming this based on what Meta Knight told us.</span>" </em>
</p><p>"Yeah…I guess you're right. Maybe he can let us live at his base for a few days to see how it is." </p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">Reasonable course of action: continue to stay with Kirby until we learn more about this land and its inhabitants.</span>"</em>
</p><p>"Sounds good to me." Ledo stopped talking when he saw Kirby walking over to him. The pink puff began to talk to him, which was translated.</p><p>"So, they want to go fishing, huh…"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I found this to be a particularly enjoyable chapter to write. If my writing style doesn't make it obvious, character interactions are probably what I'm best at writing.</p><p>The translated dialogue was written in Wingdings in the original Word Document, of course that didn't carry over. Partially to save time and I think that the fake language would become annoying to read after a while, especially when Chamber is here to translate. What I plan on doing instead is writing out the translation unless Chamber is not there or Ledo is too distracted with something to read the translation. Let me know what you guys think of this change and if you think I should keep it for future chapters.</p><p>And yes, while this is gameverse, I do really like the idea of Kirby and MK being student and mentor.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Together with the Spring Breeze</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: Together with the Spring Breeze</strong>
</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Will you be fine on your own, Ensign Ledo?"</em></span> Chamber asked.</p><p>"I should be fine. You can translate for me remotely, I can call upon you at any time, and I have a self-defense weapon with me." He blew off the smoke on the bone flute he was continuing to carve. "Besides, I'll be with Kirby and Meta Knight, and you saw their combat skills yesterday."</p><p>He had been waiting outside for the pink puff to finish getting ready for their trip around Dreamland. He was likely making final plans about the areas they would be heading to. "Besides, you can create a whole map of Dreamland during this trip. It might be helpful for later."</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">Agreed. I will await your return."</span> </em>That was when Kirby came out of the house wearing a small backpack.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ledo, are you ready?"</em></span> The translation read.</p><p>The ensign nodded as the pink puff called a floating star object. According to the translation, Kirby called this the "Warp Star" and it's his usual mode of transportation over long distances. The pink puff was the first to get on the floating star and he gestured to Ledo to join him. The young man hopped onto the star after him. He then read something Kirby had said about holding on tight before being rocketed off.</p><p>According to what the puff said, the first area was Green Greens and the Cookie Country border. This was where they would meet their traveling companions. If Ledo hadn't been too busy trying to hold onto the Warp Star, he would've heard that he was close to the area where he and Chamber landed when they first arrived. The Warp Star was fast, and he was having a hard time holding on as someone who has never ridden on it before. It got worse when he noticed Kirby heading towards the ground.</p><p>"Why aren't you pulling up?! We're going to crash!" he shouted, hoping his panicked tone would be enough to communicate to Kirby. The pink puff didn't seem to notice. "PULL UP! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" he yelled again. The response he heard back was in that unknown language he didn't know. It seemed to Ledo he had no other choice. He had to call Chamber. "CHAMB-!" However, it was too late. The Warp Star landed on the ground, causing Kirby to bounce and skid, while the impact sent Ledo flying. <em>"Is this how I die…!?"</em> he closed his eyes until he felt two hands catch him. Shocked by this development, he opened his eyes and looked up to see that his savior was none other than King Dedede.</p><p>"Th…thank you…" he uttered; hearing Chamber translate his words.</p><p>The penguin monarch laughed <span class="u"><em>"First time riding a Warp Star, princess?"</em></span>.</p><p>"Wh-who are you calling princess!?" he shouted upon reading that translation. Dedede frowned in response. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"I'm only joking! Sheesh…"</em> </span>The monarch replied with a sigh before dropping him, allowing him to land on his feet.</p><p>What a strange kind of joke that was…</p><hr/><p>"NAILED IT!" Kirby shouted, picking himself up from the ground. Based on the way he was stumbling, he seemed to be a little disoriented from the crash.</p><p>"Whaddaya mean 'nailed it'? Ya scared Ledo half to death!" Dedede shouted. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Kirby, I recommend that you do not repeat such rashness when Ensign Ledo is your passenger. I detected a significant increase in heart rate a few minutes ago.</span>"</em> Chamber spoke up. The young man shook his head, grumbling how his AI partner decided to speak up so late.</p><p>"You're not hurt anywhere, are you, Mr. Ledo?" Bandana spoke up. He shook his head. It seemed strange that the king was being so friendly to him.</p><p>He spoke up, with Chamber following <span class="u"><em>"King Dedede, why are you suddenly so friendly to me?"</em> </span></p><p>"You apologized, didn't you? That's good enough for me." Why the people on this planet appear to be so forgiving, the ensign will never understand. "Besides, didn't I tell ya I'd be a real jerk for not forgiving you after you so sincerely apologized?"</p><p>It was then that Meta Knight landed next to him. "Ledo? Where's Chamber?" the knight asked. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Chamber is staying back at Kirby's house. I believed it would be easier to travel lightly. He can still communicate with me and interpret for me with this device on my collar."</span></em> The translation said as he pointed to the device.</p><p>"I bet you're having second thoughts after that Warp Star ride." Dedede chuckled. The young man only shrugged as he decided to get a look at the area.</p><p>A giant ship that he never saw before was parked next to him. Before he had a chance to ask where they were, he was picked up by the king and slung over his shoulder. The young man could still see in the direction that Dedede was seeing, but he had to raise his head to get a full view. Ledo guessed this was some kind of payback for him using him as a hostage. The king seemed to have not entirely let that go as much as he claimed he did.</p><p>Upon entering the ship, he could see that it was very bright and spotless. It seemed to be more advanced than what he's seen from the inhabitants so far.</p><p>"Ah! Welcome! Welcome!" the familiar voice of the mage Magolor chirped as he looked towards the group.</p><p>"Igo…?" Ledo spoke up as he stared at him. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo is assuming that you are an egg.</span>" </em>the AI translated to the mage's confusion.</p><p>"Oh! You're the guy that crashed here a few days ago! My name's Magolor! I'm one of Kirby's friends, here to welcome you as a member of the "I Crashed on My First Arrival in Dreamland" Club!" he said, shaking the ensign's loosely hanging hand.</p><p>"There's a club for that now?" Dedede asked.</p><p>The mage laughed "There is one now!" he then turned to the pilot "We've had a bit of an incident in the past, but it's all water under the bridge now!" An incident? Ledo had never heard about this.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">What incident? Is it important to the history of this planet?</span>"</em> Chamber translated for Ledo.</p><p>Bandana scratched his head "Is it that really a necessary incident to talk about? I mean, at least the Fountain of Dreams incident and the one with the food gave more information about Dreamland, which Ledo was looking for…"</p><p>Magolor raised his hand and spoke "Regardless of if it's necessary or not, he deserves to know about it. It's water under the bridge, as I said.". "I believe so, too." Meta Knight nodded. Magolor began to talk again "A few years ago, this very ship, the Lor Starcutter landed in Dreamland. It lost all its parts and power supplies while it was landing, so Kirby and his friends were nice enough to help repair it."</p><p>"Can ya shorten it? We've got a whole land to travel today." Dedede sighed.</p><p>"Oh…uh…LONG STORY SHORT I USED KIRBY'S KINDNESS TO MY ADVANTAGE TO GET THE MASTER CROWN AND TRIED TO TAKE OVER POPSTAR!"</p><p>"Thank you, was that so hard?"</p><p>The two puffs and Waddle Dee shook their heads.</p><p>"…Jul wan kan nee." The young man on Dedede's shoulder uttered.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"He is expressing lack of surprise."</em></span> His AI translated.</p><p>"Yeah, but he forgave me for that, and I even built him an amusement park as an apology gift!" the mage smiled. Again, the ensign could not understand how forgiving these people were.</p><p>"Anyway, this ship is amazing! It can travel through space and time!"</p><p>Space and time? </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Magolor, could I ask for your assistance at some point? It's about contacting my allies."</span> </em>Chamber translated the ensign's sudden yelling.</p><p>"Oi! Settle down, princess! You're still on my shoulder!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Don't call me that!!"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Oh, sure! Just let me know when you're coming! I normally have a lot of free time, but I'd like to still know ahead of time!" the mage replied cheerfully.</p><p>"Yeah, we should prolly get going now if we're gonna show the kid around Dreamland…" the monarch grumbled.</p><p>"Oh, right! Thanks for letting us stop by, Magolor!" the pink puff said.</p><p>"Anytime!" Magolor then turned to the young man "Your name is Ledo, right? Feel free to stop by at some point if you have any free time! Then I'll see if I can get you into contact with your allies!" Ledo nodded as the monarch began to walk out of the ship.</p><p>That was when he began to speak, Chamber following with a translation <em>"<span class="u">I can walk on my own."</span></em> </p><p>"I know." The king smirked. It seems he was having too much fun dragging the young man around.</p><p>The first location they decided to explore was the nearby forest. There didn't seem to be anything special about it.</p><p>"Dreamland has a lot of forests in these grasslands. They might all look the same, but there's always something small that makes each of them different!" the pink puff acted as a tour guide. He continued to talk on and on to the point where Ledo decided to focus on looking at the surroundings. Well, it's all he really could do while the penguin monarch was holding him hostage. He figured he could easily overpower him, but he still needs the energy for this trip regardless.</p><p>Looking around, all he could see was trees in the forest. The fresh smell of life was all around him. There were some flowers as well, but there were mostly trees. If it wasn't for the others talking, it would be very peaceful. When they came upon a giant tree, the group stopped walking.</p><p>That was when Ledo decided to talk again, with Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">Why did we stop?"</span></em>. To his shock, a face suddenly appeared on the tree in front of them! The ensign pulled out his pistol and aimed it at the tree.</p><p>"It's just Whispy Woods, Ledo. Calm down." Dedede grumbled, trying to make him lower his weapon. The young man stared at the king for a few minutes before looking back at the tree, as if processing if he should just put his finger on the trigger and fire before slowly putting it back into his pocket.</p><p>"Hello, Whispy! Good to see that you're back in the Cookie Country forest after so long!" Kirby exclaimed cheerfully.</p><p>"…did something bad happen in Dreamland again? I don't remember anything bad happening." the tree asked "Normally, when you people come to see me, something bad has happened in Dreamland!" And the tree could talk!? While nothing should surprise the ensign at this point, he was still surprised.</p><p>"You're not possessed or holding any type of thing we need to collect, are you?" Bandana Dee asked, looking up at the leaves.</p><p>"Not that I know of…" Whispy responded. Their tones made it sound like it was a common event. "If you're not here to attack me, what are you in this forest for?" the tree asked.</p><p>"Oh, we're just showing this guy around Dreamland!" Dedede shrugged the shoulder he had Ledo on to draw attention to the young man. He assumed that was his cue to introduce himself. The ensign began to speak, with his AI partner translating</p><p><em>"<span class="u">My name is Ensign Ledo. I crash landed here two days ago."</span></em> </p><p>"Oh? Is he a robot?" the tree asked, noticing the AI's voice.</p><p>"Ledo is still learning how to speak the language, so the AI to his mecha, Chamber, is translating his words so we could understand him." Meta Knight explained.</p><p>"I see. Well, hopefully, he can learn it soon. I'm sure he'd like to be able to converse without needing a translator." Whispy Woods sighed. "Oh, uh…Whispy? You mind if I take a few apples for the road? We'll need to keep our energy up since we're going around Dreamland!" Kirby asked. The tree seemed to be thinking for a moment. "Very well." "Thank you!" The pink puff said as he floated up into the tree to collect a few apples to put into his bag. "You are welcome." The tree replied before the group decided to head off again.</p><p>They continued to walk until they reached a clearing with a giant tower in it. "This place is Butter Building!" Kirby pointed out. </p><p><em>"I<span class="u">s there anything significant about it?"</span></em> Chamber translated.</p><p>The king began to explain "Well, ya see, if you look at the WAAAY tippy top, you can see that this is where Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright live." </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright?</span>"</em> </p><p>"Oh, the sun and moon of Popstar, but not really." First talking trees, now talking celestial bodies? Whatever could be next?</p><p>"You can talk to the both of them at the same time, but it's very rare. Despite not being the actual sun and moon, they do influence the time of day. As of right now, you can only talk to Mr. Shine, since Mr. Bright is up in the sky." Dedede finished his explanation The group stood around in silence.</p><p>"So, are any of you in the mood to climb a tower today?" Meta Knight began to speak.</p><p>"PASS!" the king shouted.</p><p>"What about without carrying Ledo?" Bandana Dee asked.</p><p>"Still, PASS!" The young man only shook his head. "Well, I guess we can head to our next stop!" Kirby said as he called forward the Warp Star.</p><p>"Sola naken yo…" they heard Ledo utter. <em>"<span class="u">Expression of dread of another event happening again."</span></em> Chamber translated.</p><p>"You'll be fine, princess! I'm here with ya!" Dedede grinned as the ensign readied another rant. The monarch only patted his head as he and the others boarded the Warp Star and headed off.</p><hr/><p>The next place to go was a large tropical island, a place known as Ice Cream Island, according to the translation of what Kirby said. Now that he can hope for Dedede to break his fall, Ledo was able to look down at the seas below. They were clear and pristine, almost like it wanted him to jump in. That was when he began to get the feeling of falling again. Were they going to have another crash landing?</p><p>As they approached the sandy beach, Dedede, Meta Knight, and Bandana Dee jumped off and into the water. The young man did not remember exactly what happened, perhaps it may have been because of the sudden abandoning of the Warp Star, but somehow the monarch let go of Ledo as he jumped into the water. It wasn't until he could feel the rush of the sea over him that he remembered that he couldn't swim. It's fine…all he would have to do is yell.</p><p>"Someone help! I can't swim!"</p><p>Oh, that's right. They can't speak his language.</p><p>All he could do now is thrash about and hope they notice him before he falls under the waves. Dedede was right, he should've taken Chamber with him. Just as he felt the water closing in on him, a gloved hand grabbed him, pulling his upper body onto some kind of ring. He tried to see who it was, but all he could do was cough up seawater until he threw up a bit of the salt water he had swallowed. Thankfully, he was able to keep his breakfast down. Then he continued coughing. His throat felt like it was burning.</p><p>"Biisa re deray, redo?" he finally looked up to see Meta Knight pulling the floating ring through the water.</p><p>All the young man could do was nod. He then began to hear static until the voice of Chamber was coming through the device on his collar again <em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, is something wrong? I had lost contact with you for a moment.</span>"</em> It was likely the impact of the seawater that cut him off. "I'm alright, Chamber." He said, looking at the blue puff who saved him.</p><p>Hopefully, this will be the last time he has to do so…</p><hr/><p>"It's shallow here, your feet should be able to touch the bottom." Meta Knight said as he began to walk onto the beach.</p><p>Ledo did so and walked up to the beach alongside him. He began to talk, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">Thank you for helping me.</span>"</em>.</p><p>The masked knight shook his head as he wrung one of the sides of his cape before turning it back into wings.</p><p>"It's not a problem. Why didn't you tell us you couldn't swim earlier?" he spoke, pulling out a thermos of water from the subspace in his cape and giving it to Ledo. It was likely a gesture so he could rinse out the taste of bile in his mouth. </p><p><em>"I<span class="u"> believe Ensign Ledo did not expect an emergency evacuation of the Warp Star over the water."</span></em> Chamber stated as the pilot swished the fresh water in his mouth before spitting it into the sea.</p><p>"SOMEONE GET ME OUT!" The two turned to see Kirby stuck in a log sitting on the beach.</p><p>It took a few minutes for the group to pull him out.</p><p>"Okay… I think I really do need to work on the landing…" the pink puff sighed.</p><p>"Seeing how we all had to jump into the sea to avoid crashing and Ledo could've drowned, yeah." Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"That's an idea we have for another day!" Bandana Dee said, "We'll have a pool party at the castle where we can teach Ledo how to swim!" The thought of going in the water in such a short amount of time made the young man want to vomit.</p><p>"Yeah, sorry, guys…" Kirby apologized, feeling guilty at the fact that one of his friends almost drowned.</p><p>"Just please try to land more softly, Kirby. Remember, pull up before you hit the ground, so you land on your feet." Meta Knight lectured, with Kirby nodding. Looking around the area, it was indeed, a very pretty area, almost exactly like the tropical paradise he heard it being described as. Ledo likely would've fully agreed with such a statement had his first experience here was anything but the risk of drowning.</p><p>"Come on, let's get going!" Bandana Dee yelled, running towards the island.</p><p>In the inner parts of the island was a lush tropical forest. He remembered also seeing what Chamber had called 'mangroves' from the air. Those were apparently on the coastline. While traversing the terrain, they had to stay clear of any paths that would require them to go underwater for Ledo's sake. Speaking of which, he had something on his mind.</p><p>He began to talk, with Chamber translating <em>"<span class="u">Meta Knight, how does your cape turn into wings?"</span></em>. The masked knight looked back at him.</p><p>"It's quite simple. It's magic. I can freely transition between the two if needed, and even remove it if I have to." Magic? Well, this might be the most believable thing this day after seeing a talking tree and hearing about a sun and moon that could talk.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">So…if your wings are removable, can you feel if they're hurt or not?</span>"</em> Ledo spoke while Chamber translated.</p><p>"Of course, I could..." Meta Knight began until he heard the gentle brush of a few fingers. He quickly turned around to grab Ledo's wrist. "Please do not touch my wings without my permission." The knight growled. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Sorry…"</span></em> Chamber's translation said. Thankfully, it was less icy than when he was caught staring at his half-unmasked face, but it still startled him.</p><p>"Last time I checked; you don't even do that…" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"Most was his cape, but that was when I had to beg him not to go to the store the one time…" Kirby laughed in embarrassment.</p><p>"Ah right, the time you had a cold…which you gave to me a few days later…" his mentor recalled with a sigh.</p><p>"At least I tried to take care of you then!" Kirby tried to brighten the mood.</p><p>That was when the young man decided to talk again, followed by his AI partner <em>"<span class="u">Kirby, how much further are we going into this is-"</span> </em>he was cut off by a net trap that encased him and the two puffs.</p><p>"Ah! Ledo! Meta Knight! Kirby!" Bandana Dee ran back to try to help them.</p><p>"Wait…BANDANA! DON'T COME THIS WAY! THERE'S A ROPE ON THE GROUND!" Kirby shouted, but it was too late. The rope wrapped around the Dee's ankle and hoisted him up into the tree.</p><p>"Well, at least I know now not to go that way! Now, if you excuse me, I shall go around and attempt to get you out!" Dedede walked around where the net had popped out of only to get captured by another net. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" he shouted.</p><p>Meta Knight and Ledo simultaneously sighed, as if acknowledging that they should've been more alert. The young man tried to grab his pistol, but he couldn't due to the two puffballs sitting on top of him. He grabbed the top of the net and slowly pulled himself up to a kneeling position. The two puffs noticed this and tried to push the sides of the net to make it wider.</p><p>That was when they heard someone laughing "HA HA HA! YOU GUYS SHOULD'VE SEEN THE LOOK ON YOUR FACES!".</p><p>"Of course…" Meta Knight grumbled as a familiar jester-hatted ball came into view.</p><p>"MARX, YOU GREMLIN! LET US DOWN FROM HERE! THAT'S AN ORDER FROM YOUR KING!" Dedede shouted.</p><p>"Whaddaya mean "your king"? You're only a self-proclaimed king! I don't hafta listen to you!" The jester grinned. Ledo fumbled a bit to pull out his pistol and used a small beam from it to cut the ropes around them, causing him to fall on the ground while his companions floated down. Scrambling to get back onto his feet, the ensign pointed the pistol at Marx.</p><p>"What're you gonna do with that? Shoot me?" he smirked until Ledo fired a laser at his feet, which he dodged. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, chill out, it's just a prank, bro!" the purple ball uttered.</p><p>"Ledo, you have my full permission to roast this gremlin." The king said from his net trap. The young man was aiming to take another shot before Kirby interrupted "Calm down, guys! He said it's a prank, right?" The ensign paused for a moment, as if processing the information that was told to him. "Besides, we should get Dedede and Bandana down, shouldn't we?"</p><p>Ledo appeared to think for a moment before speaking, Chamber following. <em>"<span class="u">You, the gremlin, let the king and Bandana down.</span>" </em>He ordered.</p><p>"Or else what?" Marx grinned before the ensign shot another laser at his feet. "ACK! I got it! I got it! Jeez…a bit trigger happy, aren't ya?" he grumbled as he cut the ropes holding Dedede and Bandana. "OH NOVA, MY BACK!" the king shouted. "Ugh…couldn't you have let us down a bit more slowly?" the Dee mumbled.</p><p>"What do you want, anyway?" Meta Knight glared at him.</p><p>"Nothing! I just thought it'd be fun to prank you guys!" he laughed. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">How did you know that we would be here? I don't recall Kirby or Meta Knight mentioning you when they were planning this trip.</span>"</em> Ledo's words were translated.</p><p>"Oh, that? I just happened to be at Castle Dedede and overheard you guys would be here!"</p><p>"Bandana, remind me to strengthen security when we return to the castle…" the monarch groaned.</p><p>"So, what're you guys doing here anyway? Y'all don't look like the touristing type." Marx questioned.</p><p>"We're showing Ledo around Dreamland!" Kirby explained happily.</p><p>"Ledo? That's the name of this pale-looking wreck?" he looked over at the ensign.</p><p>"Lay off, he almost drowned today." Bandana sighed.</p><p>"So, you guys wouldn't happen to have room for one more in this party, would you?" Marx grinned.</p><p>"No, we're good." Meta Knight replied, covering Kirby's mouth so he couldn't object.</p><p>"Oh, come on! I swear I won't do anything else! I'll be on my best behavior!" he tried to give an angelic expression.</p><p>"I will literally pay you a hundred gold to go away!" Dedede yelled.</p><p>"Deal. Cough it up." The monarch sighed as he took out his wallet and threw him the money. "Danke schön." Marx said as he walked off.</p><p>By the utterly tired look on everyone's faces, Kirby could tell it was time to move on to a different area.</p><p>Their trip to Yogurt Yard was steeped in silence. No one outside of Kirby really spoke up until they began the trip up to Grape Gardens. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Who was that person we met on Ice Cream Island?"</span></em> Ledo's AI translated his words.</p><p>"That was Marx." Kirby said. </p><p><em>"</em> <em> <span class="u">A friend of yours?" </span> </em></p><p>"Yup!"</p><p>"I don't see why, he caused ya so much trouble in the past." The king mumbled.</p><p>"It's just Kirby's nature to be so trusting…" the masked knight sighed. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">What happened with Marx?</span>"</em> the ensign asked.</p><p>"Long story short, he's the first person to ever use my kind nature to his advantage." The pink puff said, but his tone was on the borderline of shameful and sorrowful. "He got the sun and moon to fight and asked me to summon Galactic Nova to stop them. Galactic Nova has the ability to grant the wish of anyone who summons it. Turns out, he wanted to summon Nova just so he could rule Popstar." He continued "But at least he seemed to have learned his lesson from that!" He laughed.</p><p>"It…doesn't really seem like it." Meta Knight shook his head.</p><p>"Yeah, at least Magolor made some kind of effort. All that gremlin does is cause problems for everyone." The king crossed his arms. It seems the people of this land aren't as forgiving as Ledo first thought they were, if King Dedede and Meta Knight's attitudes towards Marx are any indication. Maybe the ability to forgive just about everything was just a Kirby thing.</p><p>The group flew through Grape Gardens as Kirby pointed out the airships that fly through the area. The most common feature of this place seemed to be the big fluffy clouds all around them. If he wasn't so concerned about holding on to the Warp Star, he probably would've reached out his hand to touch one of them. That was when the star landed in a pile of puffy clouds.</p><p>"Not bad of a landing, Kirby." His mentor mused.</p><p>"Yeah, at least we had the clouds to break our fall this time!" Dedede grumbled. </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Use caution, Ensign Ledo, I detect you are at a high altitude.</span>"</em> The voice of Chamber came through his device. When he looked around, he could see that he was right.</p><p>They were high in the sky, on a big cloud with…was that a palace? "This is Bubbly Clouds. It's part of Grape Gardens. Anyway, who wants lunch?" Kirby said as he handed out five apples.</p><p>"Yeah, this ain't gonna be filling enough…" Dedede mumbled.</p><p>"You're in luck then." Bandana Dee said, gesturing to Meta Knight. The knight reached into his subspace and pulled out a picnic basket.</p><p>"Good thing Bandana gave me this to hold on to." He said.</p><p>"Good job, Bandana! This is why you're my best advisor!!" the king grinned as he began to unpack the basket.</p><p>"The Dees were busy last night making food for everyone, so eat up!" the Waddle Dee said.</p><hr/><p>The young man wanted to question how they were able to walk on clouds, but he chalked it up to just Dreamland working against the laws of reality that he knew. He grabbed one of the lunch boxes and began to eat one of the dumplings that was inside. It was delicious, but it was probably a given for the cooks of a monarch like King Dedede. There was something different about it from Sailor Dee's food, but he couldn't put a finger on it. It was likely just the difference between a large-scale kitchen staff and one Dee.</p><p>As he ate his lunch, he couldn't help but think he was being watched. He scanned the area. There wasn't anything out of place from what it seemed. <em>"</em></p><p><em>It must just be my imagination."</em> He thought.</p><p>Kirby had been talking about the area of Grape Garden and how it had a lot of nice castles. These castles were apparently where the airships were going to. It was actually quite informative, even with King Dedede's occasional interruption to say that <em>his</em> castles were way better.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, I detect a strange presence above you."</span> </em>Chamber's voice startled him out of his thoughts.</p><p>He slowly looked up above him. The sight made him shudder. Above him was a giant unblinking eye.</p><p>"Minbii' dede?" he heard Kirby ask.</p><p>Ledo slowly placed his lunch aside and pulled out his pistol. "Chamber…what is this thing?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">I do not know, ensign. I am not present with you</span>."</em> The AI responded.</p><p>It was then he heard Dedede talking <em>"<span class="u">Calm down, princess. It's just Kracko."</span></em>.</p><p>"I thought I told you not to call me that!" the ensign shouted upon reading the translation.</p><p>But the king mentioned a Kracko. Another case of an inanimate object being alive?</p><hr/><p>"Hi, Kracko! Are you here to eat lunch with us?" Kirby asked happily.</p><p>"I don't think he would show up here if he just wanted to eat lunch…" Meta Knight sighed.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" the cloud began to speak.</p><p>"Just having lunch here. We needed a break from our trip around Dreamland." Dedede explained.</p><p>"I see. And who is this…sassy lost child?" he looked over at the young man with his pistol still fixed on him.</p><p>"That's Ledo. He's new to Dreamland, so we're showing him around." Bandana Dee explained and shouted to him "Calm down, Ledo, he's not going to hurt you!". The young man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at that statement and put his pistol away.</p><p>"I see." He then turned to the ensign "Ledo, is it? Do not aim your weapon at me like that again. Otherwise I'll be sure to strike your house next time it rains."</p><p>Would that mean that he'd strike Chamber with lightning? He might have to warn the Machine Caliber about that if he didn't already hear about it.</p><p>Upon finishing lunch, the group began to fly through their next location, Rainbow Resort.</p><p>"Ledo, you might want to put your helmet on." Meta Knight warned.</p><p>Taking the recommended action, he could soon see why. From the fact that he could see stars and nebulas above him, he assumed he was close to space. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, I detect that the area around you has little atmosphere. Reasonable course of action: leave the area and return to where there is more oxygen."</em></span> The ensign looked towards his friends.</p><p>"We aren't going to stay here too long." Kirby explained.</p><p>"…oh. I see where we're going!" Dedede grinned.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Can you tell me about this place we're flying through?</span>"</em> Chamber translated Ledo's words.</p><p>"This place is Rainbow Resort. As you can see, it's always icy here." Meta Knight began to explain. "And if you look above you, as you probably saw, you can see a majority of Gamble Galaxy." </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Gamble Galaxy?"</span></em> </p><p>"That's the name of the galaxy Popstar is in. I believe the view from here is quite beautiful, don't you think?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">I see…it is quite beautiful…</span>" </em>the ensign tried to hide the depression in his voice. That was when the knight and king turned directly around. The Waddle Dee looked directly up at him.</p><p>"Yo, Ledo, you don't seem so hot, something the matter?" the king asked. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">It's nothing.</span>"</em> Chamber translated.</p><p>"Are ya feeling homesick?" Dedede questioned.</p><p><em><span class="u">"I just didn't recognize the name of the galaxy I'm in."</span></em> he tried to explain.</p><p>"You're still worried about your allies, aren't you?" the masked knight questioned. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">I guess I am.</span>"</em> The ensign looked back up at the sky.</p><p>He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had the chance to actually look into space. Normally whenever he was in space, he was too busy fighting the Hideauze to pay attention to how beautiful it looked. But space was…huge. He couldn't believe that a place that allowed him to just walk into near space like Rainbow Resort existed. That was when it hit him. This place was <em>freezing</em>, even more so when this pilot suit he wore was his main source of protection from the elements. Dedede seemed to notice this and pulled him under his robe.</p><p>"We're almost there, just hang in there a bit more." The monarch uttered. Thank Nova Meta Knight rejected Kirby's suggestion of going to White Wafers…</p><p>Ledo couldn't believe his eyes. Before him stood a large, beautiful fountain with sprouting water. Around the actual fountain was a sort of basin that collected the water that flowed out. On the top of the fountain he could see a rod with a star on it. The whole area was picture-perfect against the backdrop of space.</p><p>"This is the Fountain of Dreams." Kirby explained. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">The Fountain of Dreams…the one you mentioned a few days ago?"</span></em> Chamber translated.</p><p>"Yep! That very one!" Dedede exclaimed. "If you take a look at that water, that's actually all the hopes and dreams of the people that live here!" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Do you know if there are fountains on other planets?</span>"</em> the ensign asked.</p><p>"Yeah, they all serve the same purpose. But I still think Popstar's is the prettiest." Kirby chuckled a bit.</p><p>"Don't they all look the same?" Dedede asked. So, Kirby has been to other planets before? Again, the ensign felt he shouldn't be surprised by that.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Why did you bring me here?</span>"</em> Ledo asked as Chamber translated.</p><p>"Because the Fountain of Dreams is not only an important place for Dreamland, but an important place for me, personally." Kirby explained. "It reminds me of my friends. All those years ago, I fought Dedede here after he broke the Star Rod. It's the incident where I first met Meta Knight-sensei. It's the first time I was able to use my Copy Ability. I guess you could say I see it as the beginning of all my friendships. It's a bit hard to describe."</p><p>"It's the same for me." King Dedede began "This was the turning point for me. Where I decided I'd try to change my ways and actually try to help my kingdom!"</p><p>"That wasn't until after I tried to take it over with the Halberd, Dedede."</p><p>"Shut up, Meta Knight."</p><p>All the young man could do was give a small smile.</p><p>There was one last place to go. According to Kirby, it was Orange Ocean. The view from a cliff overlooking the ocean was the only thing needed to explain why it was called that. The way the sun was made the sea below look orange. The sky was various shades of red, orange, and yellow making it look like it was constantly setting. Ledo couldn't help but stare in awe.</p><p>"Yeah, I was the same way when I first saw this place!" Kirby laughed "I still kind of am like that when I see it…". The five people stood to watch the sunset in silence.</p><p>"Welp, we should probably get going! Thanks for the trip!" Dedede said.</p><p>"Yeah, even though there were a couple of hiccups along the way, it was a lot of fun!" Bandana Dee joined in.</p><p>"Kirby, could you take them back to the castle? I'd like to talk to Ledo alone." Meta Knight spoke. His student seemed a bit surprised by that.</p><p>"Um…okay…" Kirby scratched his head.</p><p>After the pink puff left to take Dedede and his aide home, Meta Knight turned to the ensign. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">What did you want to talk about</span>?"</em> the young man asked, Chamber translating.</p><p>"You mentioned on our way to the Fountain of Dreams that you were worried about your allies. Do you also want to see more of Dreamland?"</p><p>The young man nodded. <em>"<span class="u">I would like to do both. What about it?</span>" </em></p><p>"I believe I may have a solution to your problem." Ledo was silent, waiting to hear what he had to say.</p><p>"Come join me on my ship."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was another chapter that I enjoyed writing. I hope the area transitions aren't too confusing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Five Tests (Part 1)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5: The Five Tests (Part 1)</strong>
</p><p><em><span class="u">"Ensign Ledo, query, why you are accepting Meta Knight's offer?"</span> </em>Chamber questioned.</p><p>"He said he had a solution to contacting our allies at his battleship. Besides, we can also learn more about Dreamland from the air." The young man answered.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Agreed, although I recall that Magolor said the same thing."</em> </span>His AI replied.</p><p>"Right, but we just met Magolor yesterday. I'd rather we discuss these matters with someone we know more about."</p><p>The ensign didn't say it, but that incident with the so-called Master Crown that the mage had mentioned made him feel a bit untrustworthy. As the mech flew through the sky, the young man could see Kirby's Warp Star flying alongside them on the screens inside the cockpit.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Hmph! I thought I was pretty good as a host!"</em></span> their pink puff guide pouted as the young man read the translation.</p><p>"Kirby, you're a good host, honestly! Just your home is a bit cramped…" the young man sighed.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"It's a joke, Ledo."</em> </span>Kirby smiled. It's at least good that the puff isn't mad at him.</p><p>Last night, the young man had told the pink puff about Meta Knight and his offer to have the pilot and his mech join his crew on the Halberd. His pink host seemed surprised at first, but then he found it amusing and joked that it was probably an excuse for the knight to get a closer look at Chamber. He didn't seem bothered by it at all, actually. In fact, he said he saw it as an excuse to visit his mentor's base and battleship more. The puff claimed that it's very rare for him to board the Halberd to do anything but fight his mentor when something bad happens. With Kirby's assistance, the ensign contacted the knight to notify him that he will come to the base and further discuss joining the crew of the Halberd.</p><p>However, this wasn't the only reason that Kirby was guiding them to the base. Today was supposed to be a training day for the two puffs, but upon arriving at the meadow at the usual time, his mentor was strangely absent. This made Kirby worried, as Meta Knight almost never missed a training session. Even if he did miss it, he would usually call Kirby in advance so the two could reschedule it for another day. However, the puff never received any calls from his mentor, heightening his worry. He had even checked their training ground in Yogurt Yard, where they trained abilities considered too hazardous for their usual meadow like Fire and Bomb. The only reasons Kirby could think of that would force Meta Knight to miss training without notice were because Dreamland is under attack, he overslept (which has happened more than the knight would like to admit), he's too injured, or he's sick. Especially in the last two cases, he would still let Kirby know in advance if he couldn't make it, even giving the Halberd crew members orders to do it if he can't speak for any reason. In other words, it's usually a bad sign to not hear anything. It was for that reason that the puff decided to guide the pair to Meta Knight's base in Orange Ocean.</p><hr/><p>Soon, the island came into sight. It was the largest of the islands in the ocean and the only one that had what looked like a massive domed mountain on it. This dome mountain is actually where the hangar to the Halberd is hidden. There was another large building to the side of it. That was the main base. The puffball landed on the shore of the island with the mech following. Ledo exited the cockpit and Chamber slowly lowered him down to the sand.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"You said that Meta Knight practically lived on his battleship, didn't you?"</em></span> the young man asked, Chamber translating.</p><p>"Yeah, he does. He has an additional home here at the main base. He likes to keep some of his things in his room at this base after that one time I sank the Halberd…" Kirby scratched the back of his head.</p><p>Even though Meta Knight was thankful that he and his entire crew got out alive, he was irritated that some books and a few valuables were unsalvageable. His student still feels guilty about it to this day.</p><p>The two went up to the base's gate and Kirby rang the buzzer. A camera opened up on the front of the door and scanned over the two visitors. It took a few minutes before it was satisfied and returned inside the gate. A red light on the gate turned green, indicating that the two were allowed to enter. The two walked up to the next door and rang the buzzer. The metal door in front of them opened to reveal a Waddle Dee wearing a white and blue sailor cap.</p><p>"Hi, Sailor Dee!" Kirby said cheerfully.</p><p>"Oh? Kirby? I didn't know you would be coming today!" the Dee seemed to be surprised.</p><p>"I came because I was worried about Meta Knight, but I was also guiding him to this island." The Waddle Dee then looked at the young man. "Um…would you happen to be Ensign Ledo?" The young man was a little shocked to hear the Dee use his title. He nodded in response to the Dee. "Lord Meta Knight has been expecting you. Please follow me."</p><p>The servant allowed the puff and the young man to step in and follow him.</p><p>"Hey, is Meta Knight okay? He wasn't at the field where we usually practice today."</p><p>"Outside of eating his breakfast faster than usual, yes, he's fine."</p><p>"Well, why wasn't he at the meadow today?" </p><p>"He said he had to make some preparations." </p><p>"Does it have to do with Ledo joining the Halberd?" Kirby asked.</p><p>The sailor-capped subordinate froze. "Y-yes…" he uttered.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"</em></span><span class="u"><em>What kind of preparations did he have to make?"</em></span> the ensign asked, Chamber translating.</p><p>"You'll see in time…" the Dee stopped next to a door. "This is the door to his room. Kirby, please wait outside." The servant knocked on it and said, "Lord Meta Knight, Ensign Ledo is here to see you!".</p><p>"Let him in." a voice on the other side of the door replied.</p><p>"Um…I'm sorry, but… I have to confiscate your pistol before you enter. It's for safety purposes." Sailor Dee said nervously.</p><p>Ledo nodded and gave him the pistol. He opened the door and entered.</p><p>Meta Knight's room was simple and tidy, almost too much, like the owner only stayed there once a month. Though the reason for that was probably because this was in the main base, where he rarely stayed. The knight's room was likely a lot different on the Halberd itself. There was little furniture outside of the bookcase, bed, dresser, and desk that faced the window. He probably preferred to use natural sunlight when working. The room's owner sat at the desk, reading a book. He stood firmly in the room, as if this was a military inspection. The knight closed the book and turned to Ledo; his cape wrapped around himself.</p><p><em><span class="u">"As I told you yesterday, I came here to further discuss joining your crew. You said that your ship is a solution to my problem. Care to explain?"</span> </em>the ensign asked through Chamber.</p><p>"The Halberd, as I mentioned, is an aerial battleship. You can contact your allies if needed and still continue to explore Dreamland. It is even possible to go into space." The last part of that was what peaked the young man's interest.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Could the Halberd really go into space?"</em> </span>the translation asked.</p><p>"Yes, it has gone into space quite a few times." The blue puff shifted a bit.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Then I would like to officially accept your offer to join."</em> </span>Ledo said, as translated by Chamber.</p><p>"Very well. However, due to your background in the military, I'd like you to undergo a few tests before we formally accept you as a member of the Halberd crew." </p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"</em><em>What are these tests about?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"I use these tests to determine your observation ability, engineering skills, and your combat ability. You will need to have all three of these to a certain capacity to be able to work on the Halberd. Do I make myself clear?"</p><p>
  <em> "Understood." </em>
</p><p>The knight nodded. "The first of these tests is an interview with me." Meta Knight opened up a drawer on the desk and took out a pen and notepad. "I'd like you to start by talking to me about why you'd like to join the Halberd crew."</p><p>Ledo nodded and began to speak, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">You suggested that I join the crew because you believe that you have a solution to my problem. I wished to continue to explore Dreamland while still being able to potentially contact my allies."</span></em></p><p>The knight nodded and wrote down some notes. "Tell me about yourself."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe I have told you all you need to know about myself."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That answer does not suffice. Tell me about your background."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"…I am an ensign in the Galactic Alliance at war with the Hideauze. I am the pilot of the Machine Caliber Chamber."</em> </span>
</p><p>"How old are you?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"In human years, sixteen."</em> </span>
</p><p>That answer made Meta Knight look up from his pad. "That's quite young."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe it is the standard age for military service within the Galactic Alliance."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I see. How long have you been in the military?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"As long as I can remember. If it helps give you an estimate, I was about to reach the 145,000 hours needed to be granted citizenship and be allowed to visit Avalon for four weeks."</em></span>
</p><p>"So, is it correct to say that your whole life has been about training to fight in the military?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Correct."</em></span>
</p><p>"You mentioned this place called "Avalon". Would you care to go into detail about that?"</p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">"Avalon is the homeland of the Human Galactic Alliance. Those who live there are given freedom to sleep, eat, drink, and reproduce as they see fit. I had previously had an interest in going there, but that has waned over time."</span> </em>
</p><p>"I see. Is military service required within the Galactic Alliance?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Correct. Those that are considered unfit for military service are disposed of." </em> </span>
</p><p>The ensign could've sworn that he saw Meta Knight's eyes flicker white when he looked up from his notepad. "...I...I see. What kind of training are you required to do before entering service?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The Alliance requires us to have close combat training, pilot Machine Caliber, and to overall prepare us to become soldiers."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I've noticed. Do you have any hobbies?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Is this relevant to the interview?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Answer the question."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The Galactic Alliance finds such things inefficient."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Would you consider carving those fangs of yours a hobby?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not know."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I see. Tell me what you like and hate."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Again, is this relevant to the interview?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Answer the question."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I don't </em><em>know what I like. I hate the Hideauze."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Why did you reply with 'I don't know' to the question about what you like?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I haven't really thought fully about what I like. I've been too busy fighting the Hideauze to do that. Thinking about anything but defeating the enemy in battle means certain death."</em> </span>
</p><p>"…I see. You're not that sociable, are you?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The Galactic Alliance determined such a thing unnecessary during war."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Ah. That would explain it."</p><p>That was when Ledo began to kneel, continuing to keep eye contact.</p><p>"Why did you just kneel?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Meta Knight, you become nervous when someone you don't know is taller than you in a one-on-one conversation, don't you? Is that one of the reasons why you tend to stand on top things?"</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight looked up from his notepad, trying to hide that his eyes had turned orange from surprise. "Why do you say that?" he asked.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ever since I entered, you've always had at least one of your hands on your cape at one time. You also tend to twitch whichever hand is holding your cape whenever I answer. It gives me the impression that you'll warp if I become a threat to you. Based on your fighting style during your practice sessions with Kirby, I assume that you are ambidextrous with a slight preference towards using your right hand. While you do keep eye contact with me a majority of the time, you still tend to break it if I keep it up for too long just to write something down. You appear to fiddle with your pen with your right finger, as if you're about to take it apart and put it back together, a common habit that engineers tend to have."</em> </span>
</p><p>Meta Knight was silent for a few minutes. "I only intended for you to pick up on me fiddling with the pen, as this was to test your observation ability. I can see now that what you lack with in social skills, you excel with in observation."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Are social skills even necessary?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Despite what you may think, yes. You will need to communicate with both the other crew members and potentially the outside world. However, we can likely help you with that. I was like you at one point, and now I can easily hold a conversation if needed." The knight stepped down from his chair. "Follow me to your next test. It should have been prepared by now."</p><p>Exiting the room, the knight was tackled by a familiar pink ball.</p><p>"SENSEIIIII! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WOULDN'T BE AT PRACTICE TODAY?! I WAS WORRIED! I THOUGHT SOMETHING REALLY REALLY BAD HAPPENED TO YOU!" Kirby cried, holding his teacher in a tight hug.</p><p>"K-Kirby! Get off of me!" he shouted, trying in vain to detach his student. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Your student really cares for you, doesn't he?"</em> </span>Ledo asked while Chamber translated.</p><p>"Yes, I'm quite grateful for that, but…when he does something like this…it's embarrassing…" the knight sighed and turned to the puff "I apologize for not notifying you about missing our training session today. I had to make preparations in case Ledo decided to undergo some tests to join the Halberd crew. I ordered Mace Knight to call you about this, but it's obvious you didn't hear from him…" he mumbled something about needing to have a word with him later before continuing "We should have enough time to make it up later today." He tried again to release himself from the child's grip, but to no avail.</p><p>"Please let me come along!" the pink puff demanded.</p><p>"…what?" his teacher appeared to be stunned.</p><p>"I'll be here to encourage him!" Knowing how stubborn Kirby can be when he makes up his mind, Meta Knight could only sigh as he motioned for Sailor Dee and Ledo to follow him.</p><p>They came to an open-air pad situated next to the base. This seemed to be a combat range for large vehicles. Off to the side was a sort of bunker attached to the main base used to observe whatever would be tested there.</p><p>"Ledo, step out into the combat field and await further instructions." Meta Knight ordered. The young man nodded and entered the field. "Is it ready, Captain Vul?" the blue puff asked.</p><p>"Heh. Of course, it is." The bird turned to Sailor Dee. "BRING HER UP!"</p><p>The Dee saluted and pushed a few buttons before pulling a lever. The ground in front of Ledo opened up and a giant metallic…thing was elevated to the top in front of him.</p><p>"You're gonna make him fight the Heavy Lobster?" Kirby questioned.</p><p>"Ledo is a mecha pilot, so this trial will test his piloting abilities. I spent part of last night calibrating it to go faster than it normally does." Sailor Dee explained.</p><p>"He just needs to use Paint to cover the eye." The three crew members sighed while shaking their heads.</p><p>"You want me to tell 'em about this test?" Captain Vul asked.</p><p>"No, I can do it myself." Meta Knight then took the speaker microphone. "This is your second test, Ledo. Use Chamber to destroy the Heavy Lobster! Use whatever means you can as long as you do not destroy this base.".</p><p>The young man was a little suspicious at how seemingly easy this task sounded.</p><hr/><p>"CHAMBER!" The mech backflipped its way into the arena, lowering its hand to pick up Ledo. Although the group of observers were in a bunker, he heard the familiar voice of Kirby shouting something to him, likely due to him taking the microphone.</p><p>"Ji ji bi shi, redo!"</p><p>"Chamber, what is he saying?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"He is saying "you can do it". It appears these are words of encouragement."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I see."</p><p>Upon entering the cockpit, the Heavy Lobster roared to life. It started by launching miniature versions of itself, which were easily dodged thanks to the mech's Gravity flight system. Then came the flamethrower, which moved quicker than the young man expected. Normally, he could just disintegrate it or at least damage it heavily with the deflector beam, but it was moving too quickly to do so at this point.</p><p>"Chamber, can you get a lock onto it?" Ledo asked.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Negative, ensign. Object is moving too fast to get a proper target. There is a high risk we could destroy the base."</em> </span>The Heavy Lobster charged at them forcing them to dodge again. However, just as they got out of the dodge, they were hit by one of the miniatures.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negligible damage received. Continuing combat."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Not even a dent…" If Chamber can't use his beam weapons, then he'll just have to come up with another solution.</p><p>"Weapon…weapon…weapon…" Ledo mumbled, scanning around the field, continuing to dodge. His eyes fell upon a pole sticking out of the ground. "That's it!" suddenly, the mech was hit with something else. "Chamber, what's our status!?" That was when he noticed a red splotch on the side of his cockpit.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negligible damage received. However, ensign, part of the camera is blocked by something."</em> </span>
</p><p>That was when he remembered the conversation Chamber overheard from Kirby.</p><p>"Chamber, that's paint!" Another glob was shot out of the Heavy Lobster. Pulling the pole out of the ground, the robot threw it at the mech like a javelin, bursting the glob of paint and punching a hole straight through it. <span class="u"><em>"Destruction of enemy confirmed.</em>"</span> Ledo sighed in relief.</p><p>He carefully landed the mecha and exited, being lowered to the ground. In front of the door to the bunker stood the bird captain they saw Meta Knight talking to earlier, but he seemed furious. His reaction to them confirmed this.</p><p>"Ji shibi! Ji ray ji de koha bi de teevo!"</p><p>"Chamber, what is he saying?" Ledo pulled up the holographic screen.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It appears that pole you used was a powerline and you took out power to the main base."</em> </span>
</p><p>"…oh."</p><hr/><p><em>"<span class="u">The weapons on this craft would have likely resulted in destruction of the base if they missed their target. We were unable to get a proper lock on the Heavy Lobster with them."</span></em> Chamber translated for Ledo.</p><p>"Really? Nothing else? Geez…some alliance you guys work for…" Captain Vul sighed as he began to light his pipe. </p><p><em><span class="u">"We did not land with any proper external equipment. We must apologize for not notifying you earlier."</span> </em>The mecha responded.</p><p>"I'll let you both go this one time, just don't repeat this incident. You're lucky we had all our important equipment hooked up to a generator." Meta Knight walked up from behind the captain.</p><p>The familiar pink figure of Kirby ran up to the young man. "That was awesome! I thought you'd be super good at piloting, but you're super-duper good!" he exclaimed.</p><p>The ensign nodded and turned to the masked puff <em>"<span class="u">Did we pass the test?"</span></em><span class="u">.</span></p><p>The knight paused for a moment as if he was thinking.</p><p>"Outside of the fact that you took down the power in the base, I'd say you did a nice job, kid." Captain Vul commented.</p><p>"Yes, I believe so as well." Meta Knight nodded.</p><p>"You hear that, Ledo?! You passed!" Kirby jumped up and down in excitement.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, congrats, kid." The avian captain then tossed down a large toolbox in front of the ensign "Now get to fixing.".</p><p>The young man looked at the toolbox in confusion.</p><p>"This is your third test. You must repair the Heavy Lobster." Ledo glared at the blue knight <em>"<span class="u">What was the point of me destroying it then?!"</span> </em>he shouted, with Chamber translating.</p><p>"It allows us to get two tests done back-to-back, that's why." Vul turned his head to breath out the smoke from his pipe "We don't normally do this kind of test since we don't get any robot pilots as recruits. Lord Meta Knight wanted to test your piloting capabilities, so he suggested we have you fight the Heavy Lobster. I didn't like the idea because we'd have to destroy such an expensive mech. Then he suggested having you repair it for your engineering test, and I thought 'fair enough, let the kid fix what he broke'."</p><p>While this line of thinking seemed reasonable to Ledo, he still couldn't help but think it was unfair to suddenly burden him with such a task.</p><p>"The rules for this test are simple…" Meta Knight began to explain, raising a finger for each rule he named off "Rule one: Upon completing your repairs, the Heavy Lobster must be able to function. Rule two: there is no time limit on this test, so take as long as you need. Rule three: you can only use the tools that we give to you. Rule four: the repairs must be done without any assistance. Are my instructions clear?"</p><p>The young man nodded.</p><p>"Um…ensign…? How should I say this…?" Sailor Dee hesitated as he spoke. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"</em><em>What is it?"</em> </span>Ledo's words were translated.</p><p>"We…we're going to have to confiscate the device that lets you talk to Chamber." The ensign's eyes widened upon reading what was said.</p><p>"Ledo, I understand that you need that device to understand our language, but we are testing your abilities, not Chamber's." Meta Knight explained.</p><p>"Is there any other way to do this?" Kirby asked, concerned for the young man and how he would react.</p><p>"This is to make sure we know how capable he is with machinery. It's required if he's going to work on a battleship." The knight replied.</p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Agreed, but with reservations. I will only accept these conditions as long as the ensign is constantly observed in case he falls into danger."</span></em> </p><p>"Chamber?!" the ensign appeared to be shocked that his own mech would agree to this proposal.</p><p>"I shall have my men take turns keeping an eye on him. Captain Vul, hold onto the device for him."</p><p>"Understood. Kid, just give me that thing when you're ready."</p><p>After a moment of hesitation, Ledo removed the communicator from his collar and handed it to the captain. He then took the toolbox and walked over to where the wreckage of the Heavy Lobster was.</p><p>"How long do you think he'll last before he gives up?" Captain Vul asked Meta Knight.</p><p>"I'm at least giving him a chance before I say anything."</p><p>"Eh…I give him a week at most." They then heard a loud crashing sound followed by angry mumbling as Ledo stumbled over some of the strewn about parts. "Less than a week."</p><p>"Let me know if anything happens. Kirby, let's go do our training session."</p><p>"Okay…" the pink puff sighed as he began to walk off with his teacher. He briefly looked back to take a glance at the young man as if hoping for his success.</p><hr/><p>Four hours passed and Ledo was nowhere close to completing the Heavy Lobster. He sighed and sat down on the ground to stare at the broken robot. How was he supposed to fix this? He knew nothing about the technology in Dreamland or this Heavy Lobster thing! That was when his eyes began to wander. He could see that Captain Vul guy was watching him from inside the bunker, as Meta Knight had promised Chamber. Speaking of Chamber, he noticed that the paint from the Heavy Lobster fight was cleaned off. That was likely the result of Meta Knight asking his men to do so. Looking around more, they seemed to have moved on to fixing the main base's powerlines. As for the base's owner, he was likely still training with Kirby. Off training, while he sat here working on this piece of scrap metal. No wonder why he wanted to wait on it, that was what he planned on doing while he fixed this thing. This whole situation made him feel…isolated. He pulled out a device attached to a lanyard and stared at it. This was given to him by Captain Vul at about the two-hour mark. He had explained through Chamber that pushing the button on this would call whoever was in the bunker at the time out in case he wanted something to eat, he was finished, or he gave up. To Ledo, though, the last one wasn't an option right now. He had to finish this as quickly as possible, there's a chance that his allies could contact him while he was sitting here!</p><p>In five more hours, he was able to reattach the legs. At least he thought he did, he just guessed based on how it was wired. Due to how late it was, Ledo started to think he might have to pull an all-nighter to finish this. Even then, there's a chance he might not even finish this by morning. That was when he heard a growling sound. At first, he believed there was an animal behind him, until he remembered he hadn't eaten since this morning. The young man sighed, reaching for the pager. Before he could use it, he heard the door to the bunker open. Turning around, he saw Sailor Dee standing there with a tray of food. On top of his hat, he balanced the device he used to communicate with Chamber. This was likely his dinner.</p><p>The Waddle Dee sat down next to him and gave him the tray. He took the communication device in his stub and pulled up the familiar holographic screen that served as translation notes.</p><p>He began to speak, Chamber's text translating it into Ledo's language <em>"<span class="u">We thought you were hungry and thought you should have something to eat. I'm sorry we didn't make lunch for you today."</span></em>.</p><p>The young man shook his head and took a piece of bread "It's fine. I guess I made you guys busy by taking out the powerline.".</p><p>While speaking, he heard the AI translating his words into Dreamland's language. Sailor Dee nodded, examining the work on the Heavy Lobster so far.</p><p>"So far I only attached the legs. I'm not even sure if they're on right because I don't know anything about Dreamland's technology." The ensign sighed. </p><p><em><span class="u">"I don't see any problems on the surface, so you probably got it right."</span> </em>The translation read.</p><p>"I just want to get this done as soon as possible." Sailor Dee appeared to be thinking, as if trying to decide if he wanted to say whatever it is he wanted to say. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, may I say something?"</em></span> The ensign nodded. <em><span class="u">"Well…um…I feel that you're too focused on getting results</span>." </em></p><p>The young man was a bit confused. "Explain."</p><p>The Dee shifted a bit. <em>"<span class="u">I think you're too focused on jumping to the end of the process. You seem to focus too much on one thing and forget to look at the bigger picture…have you ever done a jigsaw puzzle?"</span></em> </p><p>"What's a jigsaw puzzle?" The ensign asked in between bites of food. <em>"</em></p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>You've never done one before? Oh…uh…they're a puzzle you solve by connecting pieces to each other until they form a picture. They're quite fun!"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Do you know what the picture is beforehand?" </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"</em> <em>Yes, but…"</em>  </span>
</p><p>"What's the point in doing them then?" </p><p><span class="u"><em>"Because it's satisfying to complete it yourself and relaxing! Let me talk!"</em> </span>The Dee's sudden outburst made him jump a bit. <em>"<span class="u">You see, Lord Meta Knight sometimes invites Kirby over and they spend the whole afternoon working on one of these 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles. I remember they have a lot of fun with it. That might be one of the reasons Lord Meta Knight enjoys working on machinery, actually. If you think about it, machinery is just a giant puzzle!"</span></em></p><p> Ledo was silent so he could process what he just heard. "Are you allowed to tell me that?" he asked. </p><p><em><span class="u">"I don't see why not..."</span> </em>the Dee scratched his head. Upon finishing his meal, Sailor Dee took the tray and returned back to the bunker, communicator in hand. It seems he would be watching him for at least part of the night.</p><p><em>"I guess I should begin work on the engine…" </em>he thought. The engine had to be repaired before it was placed back in the machine. That was easier said than done, as the impact from the pole shattered it in a few places. In fact, Ledo was pretty sure no number of repairs would make it work again. Sailor Dee's words echoed in his head. <em>"Why would he tell me something like that? Is that supposed to be a hint?"</em> he thought to himself. He took a drink of water from the thermos of water the Dee gave him at dinnertime.</p><p>This would be a long night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Huh, so this chapter is a lot shorter than I first thought, at least when compared to the previous one. Originally, this and the next chapter were going to be one chapter, but I was worried about it being too long. This is why I ended up cutting it in half.</p><p>I won't lie, I did have to rewatch some of the early episodes of the anime to help get down Ledo's interview answers.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Five Tests (Part 2)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 6: The Five Tests (Part 2)</strong>
</p><p>When Ledo opened his eyes, he did not recognize the room he was in. The ceiling above him seemed to warp the more he stared at it. This caused him to turn over and see that he was laying on something.</p><p>"Bii no'mi faka kakaji, zo." he heard a voice.</p><p>He shot up quickly and took a look around to see the voice's owner was Captain Vul. It was then he realized that he was inside the bunker that overlooked the testing ground. Outside the window, he could still see the wreckage of the Heavy Lobster.</p><p>The captain placed the cup of coffee he was drinking on the table and activated the communication device from Chamber. Before him appeared the holographic screen and he spoke again. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"</em></span><span class="u"><em>Can you read this?"</em></span> </p><p>Words appeared on the screen in front of him. The ensign nodded groggily. He had no idea what happened to cause him to be brought inside. <em>"<span class="u">You fell asleep out there. Simple as that."</span></em>The captain seemed to know why the ensign was confused and continued <em>"<span class="u">Lord Meta Knight came out to check on you and saw you face down on the ground. You gave everyone a heart attack before we realized you just fell asleep. Guess it was how young you are and how you weren't responding to us that made us panic."</span></em> The young man glared at the avian.</p><p>"I appreciate your concern about me, but I am an ensign in the Galactic Alliance. I would appreciate it if you did not see me as just some normal child."</p><p><span class="u"><em>"</em><em>Yeah, but according to Lord Meta Knight, you said in your interview that you were sixteen in your years. I don't know what that means in this Alliance thing you're in, but here, it means you're a kid." </em></span>He took a sip of coffee. <span class="u"><em>"Honestly, I think you're too young to be talking about being a soldier. Kids like you should be out enjoying life, not out fighting wars."</em> </span>he took another sip <em>"<span class="u">But, I guess it's none of my business. Normally, I'd reject your request to join the Halberd due to your age, but I've seen in the Heavy Lobster fight yesterday that you have something about you. That, and Lord Meta Knight has final say in what we do. But, even then, there's a chance that the only reason you're so good at fighting is because you have that tin can's AI helping you out."</span></em> Another sip.</p><p>"Is that an insult?" The young man commented, feeling a strong desire to walk over and punch his lights out. <em>"<span class="u">It's an observation, kid. These tests will speak louder than anything you say."</span></em>He took another sip. <span class="u"><em>"Oh, but I guess you're not here to listen to me ramble, you better go out and get back to fixing the Heavy Lobster."</em></span> The Heavy Lobster. Right.</p><p>Ledo shot up off the sofa he was laying on and ran outside. Captain Vul took another sip of coffee as he watched the young man begin his work again. That was when he noticed the tray with a croissant and bowl of fruit on the table next to him. He had forgotten his breakfast. The young man could probably eat it later.</p><p>It was hot that afternoon. Actually, it was just humid according to Sailor Dee, but that wasn't much better. The Dee explained over his forgotten breakfast that humidity makes it feel hotter than it actually was. He also brought out a cooler full of bottled water, likely to help him deal with the heat. Thankfully, the clouds were blocking the sun and a sun umbrella was set up over him, but both only provided so much relief. He had even removed the upper half of his pilot suit to expose his tank top underneath to let heat escape, but it didn't help too much.</p><p>"<em>It's awful out…</em>" He thought, wiping some sweat from his face. It had taken several hours of hammering to remove dents, rearranging wires, and patching up holes, but the engine looked like it could function. <em>"I should probably test it before putting it in the Heavy Lobster just in case." </em>He thought. The ensign turned it on, and it began to sputter to life for a moment before stopping again. It reminded him of Axe Knight and his leaf blower earlier today, how it took him several fast pulls on the cord to get it to putter to life before it stopped. It meant that there was something was still not right with this engine.</p><p>"Zoooo redoooo!" Ledo recognized the voice behind him to be Kirby.</p><p>The puff should know that he couldn't understand his language and that Chamber was taken from him yesterday. Though, based on his experiences from being around the child, he probably forgot. He took a minute to think of what the puff might be saying. Based on his tone, he was likely saying hello. The ensign waved in his general direction. The pink puff ran over happily, stopping just beside where his friend was sitting.</p><p>"Mi' no jimi biita?" the ball looked at the engine sitting in front of the young man and tapped it. It seems he did indeed forget about Ledo not having Chamber.</p><p>"Kirby, I can't understand what you're saying. Can you go ask for my communication device?" he pointed to the bunker, hoping that would help Kirby figure out what he wanted to say. The pink puff tilted his head before nodding and walking back towards the bunker.</p><p>The young man took a drink of water. What could possibly be the problem with this engine? He put it back together as best he could, but it still didn't work. Maybe it was like that leaf blower. The ensign started up the engine again. It whirred for a few seconds before breaking down, releasing rings of bluish smoke from its exhaust. He threw the empty water bottle onto the ground in frustration and fell backwards so he could stare at the umbrella protecting him from the sun. "Damn it…" he clenched his head, trying to ignore the warping of the umbrella.</p><p>"Kami no biiray?" His view was suddenly blocked by the familiar pink shape of Kirby. He shot up, nearly hitting the puff as he did. In his stub, he held the communication device from Chamber with its screen powered on. The text on the screen read "Are you okay?". The look on the puffball's face was that of worry.</p><p>"I'm alright. I'm just frustrated with this test…" Ledo sighed, placing his head in his hand. "I assume you came here to visit me and Meta Knight?" the young man asked, to get a nod from the puff. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Yup. I wanted to see how you were doing.</span>"</em> Kirby explained. <span class="u"><em>"Hey, can I watch you?"</em></span> </p><p>The ensign nodded. It would be good to have company outside with him, so he didn't have to suffer in this weather alone. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Yay! Oh! Captain Vul told me to tell you to take a break now! He said something about you gazing up at the ceiling like you had vertigo or something</span>!"</em> the puff exclaimed. The avian was more observant than the young man first thought. As much as he wanted to try to finish the repairs, that would be a good idea, since the pink ball would probably force him to and damn what he thought about it.</p><p>"Alright, how should I take a break?" Ledo asked. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"He said you should take a bath."</em></span> Kirby said, bluntly. The young man sighed. Thinking about it, he probably should.</p><p>Even in the bath, Ledo's mind wandered towards fixing the Heavy Lobster and his conversation with Captain Vul. He decided to spend some time marinating on them. First, it was his conversation from earlier. Vul had commented that his piloting skills could be the result of Chamber's input instead of Ledo himself. The thought of that bothered him, even though it was probably just because the captain knew nothing about how Machine Calibers even worked. The AI in the machine supported the pilot in combat. While they did have an ability to control the mech on their own, that's generally only if the pilot is absent, unconscious, or going rogue. The machine and pilot were a team. If anything, they won the Heavy Lobster fight in the first place because of their teamwork!</p><p>"What an ignorant old bird…" the ensign grumbled, turning over.</p><p>Wait…he has two more tests after this…could they have something to do with him physically fighting!? That could explain why the subject was brought up so suddenly. The last thing Vul said stuck out in his mind: "these tests will speak louder than anything you say". It reminded him of a phrase that Chamber had explained to him: actions speak louder than words. If he really is as skilled of a soldier as he thinks, he'll have to prove it by completing these tests. His mind then turned towards fixing the Heavy Lobster. It was technology he had never seen before and he had an idea of what the thing looked like, but he was supposed to put everything back together in a way that worked. Wait a minute! Something about that sounded familiar! His mind recalled his conversation with Sailor Dee from the previous night.</p><p>"A puzzle…that's it!" Why didn't he think of it before!? He just had to think of the Heavy Lobster as a giant puzzle!</p><p>Kirby had been sitting next to the door to the bath. Although baths are shallow, he was still somewhat concerned due to that time a few days ago that Ledo almost drowned. Speaking of which, he hadn't heard anything from inside the room for a while. The puff debated whether or not he wanted to knock on the door to ask if everything was okay. Suddenly, the metal door slid open and the ensign started to run back to the testing field. The young puff smiled as he noticed the young man's dynamic change in energy from before his break. Kirby sprinted after him, excited to watch him work.</p><hr/><p>The buzzer was rung about three and a half hours later. It was so sudden that it made Captain Vul fall out of his chair and drop the newspaper he was reading. Upon standing up, he was shocked to see the complete Heavy Lobster looking back at him. Beside the machine stood Ledo, arms crossed with confidence burning in his eyes, and Kirby cheering happily. Captain Vul slowly picked up a phone on the console in front of him and dialed a number.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, you might want to get over here." He uttered. It seems the captain was still processing this new information. Now, if the Heavy Lobster worked after these repairs…</p><p>"All systems green. Everything is in working order. A bit of polish is needed on the exterior, but I guess that's the result of a pole being tossed through it like a javelin. All weapons are in working order." Outside of Meta Knight mumbling his observations while Vul tested the Heavy Lobster's controls, the bunker was mostly silent. Suddenly, he turned behind him to face Ledo and Kirby. "Well done, Ledo. I'd say you passed this test."</p><p>The ensign sighed with relief upon reading what was said.</p><p>"Great job, Ledo! You passed!" the pink puff cheered.</p><p>The knight then turned to his student "Kirby, could you take Ledo to the kitchen? I'd like him to take a break and get something to eat. He'll need it for the next test." The young puff nodded as he pulled on Ledo's hand as if asking him to follow him.</p><p>It wasn't until the two of them left the room that Captain Vul began to speak.</p><p>"Now that we're alone, Lord Meta Knight, is there any reason you want that kid to join the Halberd crew?" The knight turned to his subordinate, staring with unblinking yellow eyes.</p><p>"I wanted to help him, and I'd like to continue to observe both him and Chamber. At least those were my initial reasons. After that interview with Ledo, it's clear that he'll have a hard time adapting to live anywhere else in Dreamland."</p><p>"Didn't you say he was only going to stay until he could reunite with his allies?"</p><p>"I did. However, I believe he might not even be from this dimension. If I remember correctly, there has not been a major war in this galaxy for several centuries, which directly contradicts what he said about being currently at war with the Hideauze."</p><p>"You don't seem like you really want him to go back. Is it because of what he said about the Alliance disposing of those they deem useless?"</p><p>"That is...quite bothersome to me. However, it will ultimately be his decision whether he wants to go back or not."</p><p>The captain could only shrug. In the end, it's Meta Knight's final decision that determines whether the kid can join the crew or not and he shouldn't come crying to him if something bad happens.</p><p>"Oh, by the way, I believe you lost that bet you made yesterday. What would you like to pay up?" The knight mused.</p><p>His captain turned to him in surprise. "Huh?"</p><p>"I believe you said you bet that Ledo would give up in less than a week from this test. You lost, so what do you…" the rest of what he said was drowned out by Captain Vul's angry grumbling while he hit the console.</p><p>"Where are we going now, Sailor Dee?" the pink puff asked.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">I assume we are heading to Ensign Ledo's next test.</span>" </em>Chamber replied.</p><p>"That's right." The Dee said. The young man had been on break for half an hour before Sailor Dee entered to tell him to follow him. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Will I have to give you my communicator again</span></em><span class="u">?"</span> Ledo asked through Chamber.</p><p>The Waddle Dee suddenly froze. "Y…yes…you'll have to…" he squeaked, worried about how the ensign would react.</p><p>He only reacted with a sigh. <em>"<span class="u">Very well. At least tell me ahead of time."</span></em> His words translated.</p><p>It didn't take them long to arrive at the next location. The room was large and enforced with metal. On the outside there was a windowed room, likely an observation room. In that room stood Meta Knight and Captain Vul, as if they had been waiting for the group to arrive. It didn't take long for Ledo to piece together that this was a combat room. It seems his guess about needing to undergo a combat test without Chamber was right.</p><p>"Kirby, please enter the observation room." Meta Knight said through a microphone on the console.</p><p>The puffball nodded and looked at the ensign. "Good luck, Ledo! I know you can do it!" he smiled before heading into the observation room. In a few minutes, he could see the puff trying to pull himself up to watch.</p><p>"This is your fourth test…" the knight began until he noticed Kirby slipping back down to the floor. "For the love of…Vul, can you please get him a chair from the closet?"</p><p>"On it." Ledo watched in amusement.</p><p>The blue puff cleared his throat and started again "This is your fourth test. You will be fighting the Meta Knights. Your only rule for this test is do not kill.". That was when Sailor Dee held up the laser pistol that was confiscated earlier. "Please use all your combat capabilities to win. Do you understand?" the ensign nodded and took the pistol. Captain Vul then spoke "The test will begin when Sailor Dee enters this room."</p><hr/><p><span class="u"><em>"I wish you the best of luck, Ensign Ledo."</em> </span>Chamber said, knowing fully well what was going on. "Thank you, Chamber." He removed his communicator and handed it to Sailor Dee, who ran towards the observation room.</p><p>To the right of him, he could hear the largest metal doors in the room slide open and the footsteps of his opponents on the metal floors. They walked until they were about a meter from him and then stood, ready to attack. Out of the corner of his eye, the ensign saw Sailor Dee open the door to the observation room and enter. The moment the Waddle Dee closed the door, the Meta Knights sprang into action. It was so sudden that the ensign's first reaction was to dodge. Chamber had previously discussed the weapons of the Meta Knights with Ledo. Axes could be used for cutting and throwing. Maces are best to throw but can be used for melee. Tridents could be used to stab and be thrown. Javelins are used almost exclusively for throwing. However, this knowledge did not help in the midst of being constantly attacked and needing to dodge. Thankfully, the ensign was fast enough to avoid these attacks, but it gave him no room to counter.</p><p><em>"I can only keep this up for so long…" </em>he thought, dodging a tossed axe, followed by a trident stab. There seemed to be a pause in the fighting, causing him to take aim, only to notice a javelin being tossed at him. He managed to dodge that but was dragged straight into a mace attack. "Are you kidding me!?" he uttered as he slid underneath it. It seemed they weren't letting him get a chance to attack. It'd be best to wait for a chance to attack, but the knights reacted quicker than he expected. The ensign jumped back to dodge an axe slash and again to dodge a tossed trident, which nicked his right leg. <em>"What's the point of them giving me my pistol back if they won't let me use it?!"</em> he thought in frustration. Next came the javelin, which he sidestepped. <em>"Maybe I could…!"</em> he tried to grab the javelin embedded in the ground only to get shocked. He turned to see a mace being swung right at him. The damage it could do would be deadly. Ledo charged forward towards Mace Knight and shot a laser to cut the chain. He felt a fragment of the chain whip his back, but he only pushed forward and hit him with a shoulder tackle. The ensign immediately regretted this action when a burst of pain shot through his shoulder. The force of the impact caused Mace Knight to slam into the wall. <em>"One down…"</em> he thought. Another axe was tossed at him, but he barely dodged it, having his pained arm get scraped. The young man began to think that mistake cost him this fight.</p><p>That was when he noticed something. The Meta Knights were attacking in a pattern! So, the next to attack would be the trident! He shot his pistol down the middle towards Trident who dodged it, hitting Javelin Knight instead. Ledo stepped out of the way and delivered a swift kick to Trident, throwing him across the room. Axe Knight seemed to be shocked by this development, allowing the young man to charge forward. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed Axe Knight and slammed him backward in spectacular fashion. Panting heavily, he stood up to see that all of his opponents were laying on the ground. It didn't take long for the adrenaline to wear off and he gasped in pain from his arm, the electric shock, and the other injuries obtained from this fight. Although hurt, he still won, and that was enough for him to keep standing strong. Kirby exited the observation room first, running over to the young man in panic.</p><p>"Redo, kami no biiray? No doh mika mee! Ji' ji no mikaji!" he tried to seemingly drag him along, which was somewhat easy due to the ensign kneeling down to talk to him. He probably should reiterate to him that he doesn't know what he's saying. The rest of the observers then exited, walking over to where Ledo stood. Sailor Dee handed the communicator to Ledo, who placed it back on his collar and pulled up the holographic screen, preparing for them to speak.</p><hr/><p>"Geez, kid. I didn't know those Alliance folks taught you how to suplex people!" Captain Vul said.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">What…is a suplex?</span>"</em> the ensign panted, experiencing another bout of pain.</p><p>"Don't worry about it. Worry about taking a break for now." Meta Knight replied before opening the wall to expose an emergency phone line. He dialed a number and waited a bit before answering "Hello, infirmary? Send some medics to the combat chamber at once!"</p><p>The avian captain began to talk again "Don't worry about out here, you should rest before your next test." Ledo was shocked to hear that. <em>"</em></p><p><em><span class="u">We're...going to have… the next test so soon?!"</span></em> He hadn't even fully recovered from this fight!</p><p>"Well, you'll be taken care of by Kirby, so you won't have to worry." Vul seemed to laugh. The young man could only purse his lips as he was guided by Kirby and Sailor Dee to the observation room.</p><hr/><p><em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, I must apologize for my lack of support</span>."</em> Chamber said.</p><p>The ensign shook his head. "It's not your fault. I wanted to come here and do these tests to join the Halberd." He took a bite of his sandwich.</p><p> <span class="u"><em>"As an autonomous pilot support system, it is my duty to support the pilot."</em></span></p><p>"That's true, but you can't during these tests because they take you from me."</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Correct."</span></em> </p><p>"That's something out of your control." </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Agreed. Although my database says that apologizing in this situation would be one of the most reasonable courses of action."</span></em> </p><p>The young man sighed "Then I'll accept your apology."</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">T</span></em><em><span class="u">hank you, ensign.</span></em><em>"</em> Ledo flinched a bit from pain and looked outside at Sailor Waddle Dee.</p><p>The Dee had been cleaning the floor of the combat chamber on Captain Vul's orders. The avian captain had been ordering some of the foot soldiers around ever since they came back from taking the Meta Knights to the infirmary. They were likely preparing the room for his final test. Interestingly, the leader himself was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>"Chamber, did Meta Knight mention where he went off to?" the young man questioned. </p><p><em><span class="u">"</span></em><em><span class="u">I believe Sailor Dee mentioned that he was going on a brief walk to stretch himself.</span>"</em> The AI replied. That seemed reasonable. If the knight was sitting for a long period of time, he would likely want to go take a walk.</p><p>He then turned his attention to Kirby, who sat on the opposite side of the room. The puff had swallowed a roll of bandages earlier and was using what Chamber had explained to be the "Doctor" copy ability. The puff had been using this ability to brew various concoctions in order to try to help Ledo in some way. However, it's obvious that none of the medicines he made so far would help, as they would end with him creating fire pillars, sparks of electricity, and an ice spray. Then there would be the occasion where he just blew himself up. The ensign continued to eat his sandwich, watching the puff as if he was witnessing a bad comedy routine.</p><hr/><p>"IT'S FINALLY COMPLETE!" the pink puff held a shining green potion above his head in victory.</p><p>He ran over to Ledo and offered it to him. The ensign could only stare in confusion.</p><p> <span class="u"><em>"What is this?"</em></span> he asked through Chamber.</p><p>"It's a healing potion! Meta Knight wanted me to make this for you!" Kirby exclaimed cheerfully, shoving the bottle into the young man's hands.</p><p>The young man stared at the concoction. He wanted to ask Chamber his opinion on drinking this, but the response would probably be along the lines of "I leave the decision up to you, ensign". He sighed and drank the whole bottle. The consistency reminded him of the blended fruit drink he had at lunch, but the taste was refreshing, as if the taste reflected its apparent healing effects. It seemed to work well, as he began to feel the pain throughout his body disappear and the wound on his arm heal.</p><p>"Sorry it took a while to make, it's really hard to make! But I don't care as long as it makes you feel better!" he smiled.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">Thank you."</span></em> Ledo nodded.</p><p>That was when Captain Vul entered the room. "Alright kid, get out, it's time for your last test."</p><p>The pink puff gave a look of worry. "But shouldn't he rest a bit more?" he asked.</p><p>"It's been thirty minutes. That should be plenty of time." The captain sighed.</p><p>The pink puff turned back to the young man "Good luck Ledo, I know you can do it!" he sounded cheerful when he said it, but the ensign could still detect some worry in his voice. He followed Sailor Dee out into the combat chamber and waited for further instructions.</p><p>He did not have to wait long. He heard Meta Knight's voice from a ledge above him. "This is your final test." The knight announced. Something was thrown into the ground in front of Ledo. His eyes widened in horror when he saw that it was a sword. "Draw that sword and duel me!" Although simple, the very phrase made him freeze. He had been told repeatedly that Meta Knight was the best swordsman in Dreamland, and now he has to <em>duel</em> him?!</p><p>"Sensei, have you lost your mind!?" the voice that came over the microphone was unmistakably Kirby. "You know that Ledo can't use a sword! Why are you having him duel you?! Are you gonna hold back?"</p><p>"I've never held back in my life, Kirby." The knight scoffed.</p><p>"You big liar! Yes, you have!"</p><p>"Mostly dodging is not holding back! Now please be quiet!"</p><p>Ledo then saw Captain Vul trying to wrestle the microphone away from Kirby. It seems the pink puff's grip was stronger than the young man thought, as the avian captain was visibly struggling to keep him away.</p><p>Meta Knight cleared his throat and began to speak again "Allow me to clarify this test for you. You do not need to defeat me in this duel. All you need to do is impress me enough with your skills. Your only rule is that you can only use that sword I tossed for you." It didn't take long for Ledo to piece together what this specific test was actually about: adaptation. At least that's the only explanation that made sense given that Meta Knight already knew that Ledo could not use a sword and would easily be destroyed by him in an actual duel.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">I assume I cannot have Chamber with me in this fight?" </span></em>he asked through the AI.</p><p>"Correct. This test will begin when you draw that sword." The blue puff nodded, turning his back to wait.</p><hr/><p><em><span class="u">"</span><span class="u">Good luck, Ensign Ledo.</span>"</em> Chamber said.</p><p>"Thank you. I'll need it." The young man removed the device from his collar and handed it to Sailor Dee.</p><p>He stared at the sword as tension rose in the air around him. It was almost suffocating. It was reasonable to be nervous in this case. He breathed in deeply through his nose and exhaled from out of his mouth, repeating the exercise until he felt a bit calmer. He then took the sword in his hands and calmly removed it from the ground. It felt lighter in his hands than expected.</p><p>Almost instantly, Meta Knight turned back around and threw off his cape, unfurling his wings. Jumping down, he landed perfectly before the ensign. Immediately the knight thrusted his blade forward, forcing the young man to barely dodge. <em>"He's fast!"</em> Ledo thought, stumbling a bit to regain his footing. That was one of the things he remembered from watching the knight train with Kirby. The young man tried to cut at him, only to be parried. It was hard, like the impact could've ripped the sword out of his hands. There was no way he could win by directly fighting him, he knew it. His best option for now would be to try to block or dodge his attacks.</p><p>The knight swiped at him, nearly knocking the sword out of his hands. Then came another flurry of attacks, which he was barely able to block. His hands felt stiff and he wanted to shake the strange numbness off them, but he couldn't. He jumped back to avoid the final blow. So, his opponent was fast and hit hard. That's what he learned from that attack. Ledo himself attempted to mimic the furious slashing of the knight, but was easily parried each attempt, nearly losing the sword again. His hands began to hurt more and more. The blue puff jumped back and lunged at him like a drill. This was quickly dodged, but barely. Turning around, the young man thrusted the blade forward, but it was easily dodged. The miss caused him to lose his footing and be nicked with a slash on his right side. Almost instinctively, he gave a sweeping kick aimed at his opponent's feet but instead hit his left side. Meta Knight was thrown to the other side of the room, barely managing to land on his feet and grumbling something under his breath. Upon regaining his own footing, Ledo watched his opponent carefully. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sailor Dee covering Kirby's ears while the child was confused. The blue puff glared at the ensign, eyes briefly flickering red. He charged forward at him, spinning his sword to create a tornado. In a panic, Ledo put his full weight into a downward chop in order to counter. The echoing of metal rang out as Meta Knight's blade was embedded into the ground and Ledo's hit the ground behind him. The young man barely had the energy left to raise his head. His opponent was also panting, but he didn't know if it was in anger or exhaustion.</p><p>"Zo zomiji, meezo redo…" The knight said once he was able to finally catch his breath. There was a faint cracking sound before a burst of shattering metal. Ledo gathered enough energy to raise his head and see a cape being wrapped around the ball in front of him. He managed to catch a glimpse of a white eye that glared at him in a mix of anger and surprise before it sprang up and away. </p><p><em>"That was a lucky hit…"</em> the ensign thought.</p><p>Suddenly, the power went out and the combat chamber was filled with the panicked murmuring of those in the observation room. Ledo looked around but couldn't see anything due to the darkness, made even worse due to the fact that the window that provided natural sunlight had been covered by a darkening screen in preparation for evening. Several tiny footsteps could be heard followed by the light buzzing of metal being cut. When the door fell, several unidentifiable squeaking blobs entered. The young man tried to search around for any signs of what was happening only to feel a sudden burst of pain below his lungs. He slowly began to lose consciousness as he felt himself fall into the arm of an unknown figure. The last thing he heard before completely passing out was a voice he did not recognize.</p><p>"Biimita zobiika, zo."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'd make a snarky comment like "gee, I wonder who knocked him out...", but I feel like it's obvious.</p><p>Yes, the area below the chest (the solar plexus, if I remember correct) is a prime target if you want to knock someone out. This may be a work of fiction, but I like to keep some elements true to life.</p><p>Looking at the full version of this chapter, it was a good call to split it in two. It would've been double the length of this chapter if I had combined them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Trial by Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 7: Trial by Fire</strong>
</p><p>When Ledo regained consciousness, he didn't recognize where he was. The room was spinning so much that he couldn't even tell if he was at the base anymore. He lowered his head to prevent himself from becoming dizzy. His throat burned, and he felt awful. He was a soldier in the military, how could he have left his guard down?! No, berating himself won't make this situation any better. When his mind began to slow down, he realized that he was in the bunker connected to the outdoor testing ground. He tried to move his arms, but they were tied behind him with what felt to be rope. He tried to stand up, but his legs buckled as a sharp pain surged through his abdomen. It was probably a bad idea to try moving so soon after waking in his condition. He then noticed there was some gauze taped to the small nick he received earlier. Good to know his captor was at least kind enough to make sure his injuries won't become infected. Or maybe that's only because they needed him alive to use as some kind of bargaining chip. Seeing how it looks like he won't be going anywhere anytime soon, the young man decided to piece together what he remembers before being knocked out. He remembered dueling Meta Knight, breaking his mask, briefly seeing a white eye as he covered himself, the power going out, the squeaking invaders, and the almost gentlemanly voice of who or whatever knocked him out. Everything else after that he couldn't recall. He had several questions right now: what's going on? Is everyone in the base okay? Who or what invaded the base? What do they want? Unfortunately, even if he wanted to ask someone these questions, he wouldn't be able to understand the answer since the device that let him talk to Chamber was with Sailor Dee. Or, at least, it should be…</p><p>His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened, and three mouse-like creatures entered. One was yellow and wore sunglasses and a scarf, another was massive, blue, and wore an eyepatch, and the last one rode in a flying craft. They were talking between each other, but, of course, Ledo couldn't understand what they were saying. Furthermore, none of them sounded like whoever knocked him out in the first place. The ensign tried to stand up again but collapsed upon realizing how stiff they felt. The noise ended up drawing the attention of his captors, who turned over to meet his gaze. They began to talk with each other again, but they appeared to be debating something. After a few minutes, the one in the flying craft floated over and a claw came out of his machine holding a piece of paper. He spent a good five minutes clearing his throat before the yellow one yelled at him.</p><p>He grumbled something under his breath before beginning to speak "Hel..lo…we are the…Squeaks… we are a group…of intragalactic teives…"</p><p>Wait, is this mouse trying to speak to him in his language?</p><p>"We have taken…everyone… im this base… for ransom…" the mouse mumbled.</p><p>"We…are waiting…for negotiations… do not approach… the main con-trol room until it is…don."</p><p>Ledo tried to hide his shock.</p><p>Everyone in the base is being held hostage? Is that why they were able to attempt to talk with him? Because they made Chamber translate their words so he could understand what was going on? Why would they do that anyway? If they're thieves, couldn't they just take what they wanted and go? It seems he'll need to get the answers himself. The mouse creature shook his head and floated off to speak with his allies, leaving Ledo to reflect on everything. If everyone is being held hostage, he'll have to figure out a plan. To him, the best option would be to contact someone from the outside, so the first location he should head to is the communications room. There should be a way to send out a distress signal in there. But there were two major flaws with that plan: he doesn't know where the room is, and he can't speak or read the language. It's a massive risk, but it's worth trying. As he watched his captors carefully, he began to turn his wrists to start loosening them from the restraints. Thankfully, they didn't seem to be too tight on him.</p><p>By the time Ledo freed himself, only the large mouse was in the room. The noisy snoring indicated that he was asleep. Slowly, the ensign stood up and tiptoed to the door, briefly stopping when he noticed the noise died down. It's too much of a risk to keep him conscious. The young man carefully walked up behind the giant mouse and locked him in a sleeper hold for ten seconds. Confirming the mouse's unconscious state, he used the rope that bound him to tie him tightly against the chair. On the console in front of the mouse was what appeared to be a map. While he couldn't read the writing on it, the drawings had markings that seemed to indicate where various rooms were. Just what he needed. He took the map and stashed it in his pocket. The next order of business was to find a way out of the bunker. The ensign remembered seeing an air duct in the room that he could probably fit through, he just needed to open the grate. It was quite convenient that the room he was in was the bunker next to the testing ground he repaired the Heavy Lobster on. The toolbox he used should be somewhere in this room. He opened one of the cabinets to find it sitting on the shelf.</p><p> <em>"The entire toolbox will be too heavy to take, so I should just take the tools I might need…" </em>the ensign thought as he put on a headlamp. He chose a hammer, two types of screwdrivers, and a wrench. <em>"There's a chance this mouse's allies will return here if they notice he hasn't said anything in a while. I should work quickly…"</em> Ledo thought as he unscrewed the bolts on the vent. The cover came off quite easily, allowing the ensign to slip into the vent undetected.</p><p>It was dusty and dark inside the vent. Bringing the headlamp was a good call. Ledo was thankful he wasn't claustrophobic, otherwise he would've probably had an even harder time. The young man crawled for a decent amount of time until he reached a wall. The only way to go from there was up. Taking advantage of the room he now had, he slowly began to stand up, putting his hand above him to check for anything. There was nothing above him, meaning that the vent continued upwards. Sighing, the ensign put his foot against one of the metal walls, his back against the other, and began to crawl like this up the vertical vent. It briefly crossed his mind that he could've just used one of the tools from the box as a weapon, but he snuffed it out upon realizing that he had no idea how guarded the thieves made the base and what they were capable of. As Chamber would've likely told him, the reasonable course of action would've been to proceed with caution by trying to act as stealthily as possible. He then felt himself be pushed into another vent by his feet. Looking up, the vent he was now in continued straight. The young man flipped himself over so he could crawl on his stomach and proceeded until he reached another grate in the ventilation system. Looking outside, he saw many tiny mouse creatures walking back and forth. There were various colors of them including yellow, green, blue, and even a few red ones. They spoke in high-pitched voices, but the young man could not understand them, of course. They appeared to be panicking, that he could tell.</p><p> <em>"They must've discovered that I escaped…"</em> </p><p>There's a chance those blobs were climbing their way through the vents after him. He'd have to work quickly. He pulled out the map from his pocket to take a look at it. The closest room to where he believed he was approximately had a telephone stamped onto it, likely indicating that this was the communications room. It seemed to just be ahead, so the ensign continued forward. After a few minutes, he reached another vent. Taking the hammer out of his pocket, the young man slowly widened the slots enough to fit a hand through before using a screwdriver to loosen the bolts. With one more push, the metal grate came off, allowing him to slip into the room.</p><p>To Ledo's surprise, there was no one inside the communications room. This would be one of the first places he'd expect those thieves to be if they were holding someone for ransom. The likely case was the main control room could fit more people, which is why the hostages are in there. The ensign dusted himself off and took the wrench out of his pocket. It would be good to have some kind of self-defense weapon just in case. Seeing that the coast was clear, he walked over to the computer. Next to the computer was a console, likely used to transmit radio signals. One of the buttons on there should send out a distress signal that can be picked up. His eyes fell upon a red button with an upside-down triangle on it. He pushed it, and a red light next to it turned on. The computer next to it turned on and looked like it was loading something.</p><p>After a few minutes, the familiar face of a Waddle Dee appeared on the screen. It seems that King Dedede's castle is the first emergency contact. Hopefully his army is decent. The Waddle Dee seemed panicked, likely knowing that being contacted this way was not a good sign.</p><p>"Nore'to tee lotafa? Notalo' metanaito? Nore' zobii ka?" the Dee spoke quickly.</p><p>While Ledo couldn't speak the language, there was still a way to communicate what was going on.</p><p>"Everyone on the Orange Island base is being held hostage. Please send help." The young man said slowly and calmly, using his hands to try and communicate with gestures, such as hugging himself to emulate rope tying himself.</p><p>The Dee seemed confused by this response, likely from both the game of charades and lack of language knowledge. It was then that Bandana Dee ran into the room, skidding across the floor and running to stand next to the Dee operating the device.</p><p>"Redo? Lore' refade re re reto?" Bandana's tone was calm, but it was clear that he was on the edge of full-on panic. Ledo repeated himself, using the same gestures he used when speaking to the other Waddle Dee.</p><p>"Everyone on the Orange Island base is being held hostage. Please send help."</p><p>For a moment, Bandana was confused until his eyes began to widen with horror.</p><p>The Dee ran off screaming "Nore de! Noreto' re katareto irereta re kaito irei reto!" unfortunately, it seemed to be a bit too loud, as the door behind the ensign opened and the sunglasses-wearing mouse stood there with the mouse blobs he saw earlier.</p><p>"I'to ka lo no!" the mouse charged at him with an animal claw, which the young man dodged, hitting him on the back of the head with the wrench.</p><p>The mouse was knocked unconscious by the blow. He then proceeded to do the same thing to the other mouse blobs in the room. The best option would be to wait for what he assumed would be Dedede's Army to come help them, but it would likely be too much of a risk. He might have to go to the main control room himself. That was when his solution came. He put the unconscious mice inside of the nearby closet and locked it. Now all he had to do was wait.</p><p>It was half an hour later when the mouse in the flying craft entered the communications room, seemingly calling out people's names. This was Ledo's chance. He took his wrench and hit the craft's side, hard. This caused the small mouse inside to panic as he was launched out of the vehicle. The young man grabbed him and then began to run through the hallways of the base. It seemed like a reasonable course of action; the mice blobs shouldn't attack him if he was carrying one of their own as a hostage. He had studied the map in order to figure out the path to the main control room. However, with all the adrenaline pumping through his body and the amount of split-decisions he had to make on each path, the whole base seemed to have turned into a labyrinth. The mice blobs chasing him only seemed to make it worse. They were likely being drawn to the noise his hostage was making. There were even a few running at him, which he batted away with the wrench. After several hours of running, he saw the door to the room in sight. It was a large door with a single light illuminating it, bright enough to see even though his eyes were blurring from sweat dripping into them. It was like a heavenly beacon. With one final sprint, he reached the spotlighted area, slamming his fist on the button. The door lock released, allowing Ledo to run inside. Entering the room was when the dizziness began to kick in. The young man hadn't realized it until now, but he was running on fumes this entire time.</p><p>Other than his panting, he could hear multiple voices in the room, but the one that was closest to him startled him the most. It was the exact same as the one who knocked him unconscious. He gripped the wrench and gave a mighty swing, only to be grabbed by his wrist.</p><p>"Kata, refa' to?" the voice said.</p><p>Ledo blinked a few times until his mind put together the image of a grey mouse in a red cape and hat in front of him. He tried to move his arm, but it would barely budge. It was at that moment he noticed the mouse hostage slip out of his arm.</p><p>"Chenba, lo so rede i no?" the mouse in red spoke. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, please discontinue your attack</span>."</em> </p><p>The ensign's eyes widened "Chamber?!" he turned towards the voice to see an unexpected sight.</p><p>It was a large round table with a half-eaten cake in the middle. There was also a teapot, teacups, and other utensils used for teatime, but it was who was sitting there that surprised Ledo. Kirby, Meta Knight, and Captain Vul each stared at the young man with an expression equally as confused and surprised as the one he himself gave.</p><hr/><p><em><span class="u">"</span><span class="u">I heard there was a hostage situation here</span>…"</em> Chamber translated for Ledo, once he was finally able to process this new information.</p><p>"HUH?! THERE'S A HOSTAGE?! WHERE?! IS IT DEDEDE!?" Kirby panicked, shooting up from his chair. He was about to run off until Meta Knight grabbed him, lifting him off the ground just enough so he couldn't walk away.</p><p>"Kirby, we were supposed to be the hostages…" Meta Knight sighed.</p><p>"Huh? Is having cake and tea what hostages do?" the pink puff asked.</p><p>"No, that's not it." The red caped mouse said, shaking his head. This whole situation just further confused Ledo.</p><p>"Just take a seat and have a bite, kid. You look like you're about to pass out from lack of energy." Captain Vul said. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Agreed</span>."</em> Chamber then spoke to Ledo. <em>"<span class="u">Faitoka reto, yasuku sa na</span></em><em><span class="u">.</span>"</em> </p><p>The young man nodded and sat at the table across from Meta Knight, putting the communication device on his collar. He pulled up the holographic screen he used to read translations.</p><p>"How do you take your tea, ensign?" the knight asked, pouring a cup for the young man before he realized something. "You've never had tea before, have you?" The ensign shook his head. "I see." The blue puff put in two cubes, a bit of cream, stirred it, and then passed it to Vul, who reached across the table to give it to the ensign.</p><p> <em><span class="u">"Thank you</span>."</em> The AI translated as he began to take a sip.</p><p>"Wait, be careful it's…" the lava-like liquid made the ensign nearly spit it out "it's still hot…" The young man could only glare in annoyance.</p><p>"You should blow on it if it's too hot! That's what I do!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>Now that he was brought down to a more relaxed state, now would probably be a good time to talk to him.</p><p>"Ledo, is it? I'd like to apologize for knocking you out earlier. My name is Daroach, the leader of the Squeaks." The mouse said with a bow. </p><p><em>"Would you care to explain why you knocked me out, Daroach?"</em> Chamber's calm translation was a sharp contrast to the annoyed tone of the young man.</p><p>"Meta Knight and I will explain in a moment, but first…" he walked over to a cupboard. "Like Vul said, you should have something to eat…" as he opened the doors, there was suddenly a loud bang on the main control room's door.</p><p>Daroach looked over and began to slowly approach it. Another bang, but now there was the sound of metal cracking. Then another one, and another one. This continued until an axe burst in through the door. At that moment, Daroach descended further into a state of panic, now holding a fork as if it was his only line of defense. Meta Knight grumbled in annoyance about how he'll have to pay to fix the door while Kirby looked as if he was trying to think what he should do. With one more mighty swing, the axe broke a hole into the door. A familiar face peeked in through the door.</p><p>"HERE'S DEDEDE!" the penguin monarch shouted, sending the mouse into a screaming fit as he tried to stab him with the fork. Thankfully, Dedede was able to dodge that. The door then opened fully as Bandana Dee walked inside. "Huh? What's going on here? Wasn't Ledo trying to tell us there was a hostage situation?" the Dee asked. "It'll be a long story…" Meta Knight sighed as he turned his attention to Dedede and Daroach clashing with each other.</p><hr/><p>The penguin monarch and mouse thief were practically at each other's throats. While Bandana Dee ran back over, likely to try to calm Dedede down, the young man saw Meta Knight dive towards Kirby, covering two spots where his ears should be. The look on the child's face seemed to say that he doesn't understand why his mentor is doing this gesture. Frankly, Ledo doesn't fully understand why either. Captain Vul simply continued to eat his piece of cake and drink his tea as if this was a normal occurrence. The former mouse hostage only moped in another corner of the room. Throughout all of this chaos, the young man could only stare in confusion.</p><p>"Chamber, what are Dedede and Daroach saying?" the ensign asked. <em>"</em></p><p><em>T<span class="u">hey seem to be references to excrement and the act of intercourse with one's mother</span>."</em> The AI replied.</p><p>"…what savages…" he sipped his tea in disgust.</p><p>It took several minutes for everyone to calm down, but soon everyone was sitting at the table passing the teapot and cut pieces of cake around. They seemed to say something as they did it. It made Ledo curious enough to ask.</p><p>"Chamber, do you know what they're saying?" </p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">They are saying 'thank you', it seems.</span>" </em>The AI responded.</p><p>"Huh…"</p><p>The ensign appeared to be making a mental note to himself. After the cake and tea was passed around, that was when the discussion on what this situation was about. The first to start was Ledo, who explained what he did when he heard about the hostage situation.</p><hr/><p>"So, let me get this straight. Your first reaction to this situation was to escape and get help?" Meta Knight asked.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Correct</span>."</em> Chamber translated.</p><p>"And to get help, you snuck through the air vents and took your own hostage to get to the main control room?" the knight continued.</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">Correct</span>." </em>
</p><p>"…I see." He lifted his mask slightly to take a sip of tea.</p><p>"Yeah, you both got a lotta explaining to do! I had things to do today, but you two had to go and ruin it!" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"Great king, you were watching TV when I gave you the news…" Bandana sighed.</p><p>"I WAS TAKING A BREAK! ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY AN' THAT! HOW'D YA THINK META KNIGHT TURNED OUT THE WAY HE DID!?"</p><p>The knight only huffed "Rich, coming from the man who caused a famine by taking all the food in Dreamland and the Sparkling Stars."</p><p>Dedede only smirked and leaned on the table. "Oh, you're tryin' to insult me by bringing up my past? How original, Mister "I'm Going to Take Over Dreamland and Change Its Lazy Lifestyle and Get Utterly Destroyed by My Own Student"!"</p><p>"He's done more to help Dreamland than you ever have."</p><p>"Can it, metal face!"</p><p>"A-anyway, Daroach, can you explain everything?" Bandana Dee interrupted the quarrel.</p><p>"Certainly." The mouse took a sip of tea before putting the cup down.</p><p>He began to speak "I guess you could say this truly started several years ago, when Meta Knight helped me out of a difficult situation. I was thankful for his assistance and asked him to call me if he needed help with anything so I could pay him back. Fast forward to three days ago, fairly late at night, when he called me up and said he wanted to ask me a favor. I agreed to it, seeing how I could finally pay him back, and then he asked me "how good are your men with acting". I gave the most reasonable response: "Excuse me?". He repeated himself, "how good are your men with acting?". Again, I gave the most reasonable response: "You have fifteen minutes to explain yourself before I hang up this phone"."</p><p><em>"The most reasonable response would've been to hang up…"</em> the ensign thought.</p><p>Daroach continued "He then explained that there was this kid from the military who was planning on joining the Halberd crew and had to do some tests to be accepted. One of these was a test on how he would react to emergencies, such as…say…a hostage situation. I was hesitant to agree to it, seeing how he said this kid's pretty gutsy for someone his age and an actual soldier. I was fine with it when he gave me permission to confiscate your belongings when I knocked you out. Speaking of which…" he pulled out a drawstring bag from his cape and tossed it at Ledo. Inside it was his pistol and a single claw. Wait, didn't he have two claws? </p><p><em><span class="u">"I think there's a claw missing from here."</span> </em>Chamber translated for him.</p><p>"Oh, the one that looks like a flute? I'm keeping that. You took down my whole crew, so I see it as fair payment." The ensign glared at him. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">You rat!"</span></em> </p><p>Daroach grinned smugly "I'm a thief. That's a compliment to me." All Ledo could do was grit his teeth in response.</p><p>That's when he remembered that one of the thieves had attempted to speak his own language. <em>"<span class="u">Daroach, one of your men tried to speak my language. Can you explain?"</span> </em>he asked.</p><p><em>"</em><em><span class="u">Ensign Ledo, I believe I could answer this question</span>."</em> The young man was startled by this sudden statement from Chamber. <em>"<span class="u">The reason why the other members of the Squeaks could speak your language was because they were each given an earpiece that connected to a common device in this room. If they needed to speak to you for any reason, I was told to translate for them. All they would have to do is repeat what I was telling them. I was informed of this plan while you were taking the tests where I was not allowed to assist you.</span>"</em> The ensign didn't know how to respond to this. His own AI partner was aware of and participating in this situation the whole time?!</p><p>"Yeah, this seems awfully complex for just a test thing, but I guess that's just expected of Meta Knight at this point." Dedede sighed.</p><p>"Wait, but how did you let them know when the time was right?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"I let Daroach inside the base during that walk I went on. He, Doc, and the Squeakers just had to wait until the power went off to begin. I had Sword Knight watch for me to escape. When I did, he shot a flare that signaled Blade to turn off the circuit breaker." Meta Knight explained.</p><p>"As complex as ever…" Bandana exhaled in annoyance.</p><p>"So why are you guys in here having tea and stuff?" The king asked.</p><p>That was when Captain Vul spoke "That was a last-minute addition. While we expected Lord Meta Knight's pink marshmallow student to come here, we thought he'd be more cooperative. He wasn't."</p><p>Kirby pouted "Because it's boring sitting around doing nothing! Plus, I was worried since Meta Knight seemed to hurt Ledo during his duel!"</p><p>"HE <span class="u">WHAT</span>!?" Bandana and Dedede shouted simultaneously. </p><p><em>"I<span class="u">t's just a scratch.</span>"</em> Chamber translated for the ensign.</p><p>"No! He said something about you dueling him!" Dedede yelled.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">That was also a test.</span>"</em> Ledo's words were translated. The king and his assistant could only look at the knight in what seemed to be horrified disgust.</p><p>Captain Vul cleared his throat "Either way, eating dessert here was the only way we were gonna keep the kid in here."</p><p>"Meta-sensei! You liar! You said this had nothing to do with the tests!" the young puff shook his mentor back and forth. It didn't do much, since the knight was firmly in his seat.</p><p>"Admittedly, yes, I did a bit to keep you here, but I did remember telling you that you would get dessert if you acted like an adult during the combat trials..." Meta Knight uttered.</p><p>"That's no better! META-SENSEIIIIIIIII!" The knight only sighed.</p><p>"Yeeeahhhh, Meta Knight? Sorry 'bout hitting your door with a fire axe..." Dedede nervously laughed while he rubbed the back of his head.</p><p>"...oh, no. It doesn't bother me at all. No, really." the blue puff replied, as his student continued to shake him.</p><p>"...you're mad." the king sighed.</p><p>While all of this seemed fairly complex, the young man could understand why the test was performed this way. Being told about this final test would've ruined the nature of it being a test of how the young man would react in times of emergency. Actual emergencies could appear at any time, with the only thing a person could do about them is preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. Meta Knight was testing how Ledo himself was prepared. While the scenario could've been a bit sourer to give it that feeling of being the worst, this was at least decent if he wanted to get a sense of it. These were the thoughts the young man had as he ate his piece of cake. While there were a few other side conversations going on, Meta Knight and Captain Vul in particular seemed to be discussing something while looking at a notepad.</p><p>After several minutes, the blue puff suddenly spoke towards him.</p><p>"Ensign Ledo."</p><p>The young man looked up upon seeing his name on the translator. "Captain Vul and I have finished determining the final results of your tests. While there is some room for improvement, I'm content to say that you've passed."</p><p>The ensign was stunned once he finished reading the translation, as if he needed a moment to process this information. "Meta-sensei, are you saying what I think you're saying!?" Kirby's eyes sparkled with excitement.</p><p>"That's correct. Ensign Ledo, Chamber, welcome to the Halberd crew." The knight said, in a tone that seemed somewhat warmer than the young man was used to hearing him speak in. It took a moment for the young man to process what he just read on his screen. Everyone in the room erupted into cheers and congratulations.</p><p>"Congratulations, Ledo! I knew you could do it!" Kirby tackled the young man in a hug.</p><p>"Ha ha ha ha! You really are something, kid!" Dedede ruffled Ledo's hair, causing him to duck in response.</p><p>"Congratulations! You're amazing!" Bandana Dee squealed with excitement.</p><p>"Hmph. Meta Knight wasn't lying when he said you were gutsy. Anyone with enough guts or stupidity could take on my men, but it takes someone with actual skills to win against them." Daroach smirked.</p><p>The cheers in the room were overwhelming. Ledo felt there was only one thing he could say in response. When the noise in the room died down, he began to speak. "T…Ta…Than…"</p><p>Everyone in the room looked at Ledo in surprise.</p><p>"Thank you, Lord Meta Knight…"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I felt that I had a harder time writing this chapter than I should have. This is probably because of my idea that I should be somewhat realistic and air vent travel is realistically not that very good or impossible. If anything, I was able to compromise by having Ledo exit the vent covered in dust.</p><p>Once I got past that section, everything was fine from there.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Adjustment and Growing Curiosity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 8: Adjustment and Growing Curiosity</strong>
</p><p>It had been nearly a month since Ledo first started working on the Halberd. Sailor Dee had been patient enough to help teach him the ropes of how to perform maintenance on the ship, even while in the air. He and Chamber ultimately created a schedule of waking up, eating, checking on various machinery such as the engines and the reactor, performing needed repairs, and then he would spend the rest of the day being taught Dreamland's language by Sailor Dee in the reading room. There were a few times where Meta Knight was able to teach him, but he was usually too busy to do that. At some point, Kirby would come over to spend time with the ensign. Unsurprisingly, not everyone on the ship was completely okay with him. While each individual member's reaction to him seemed to vary, the Meta Knights as a whole seemed to slightly dislike him, possibly due to him beating them during the fourth test. Even Captain Vul, who had at first appeared to approve Ledo's joining, seemed to have his doubts about keeping him on the ship. The ensign chalked this up to what the avian said regarding someone as young as him working on a battleship. While Sailor Dee was mostly kind to him, he did get frustrated if the ensign didn't do what he said correctly. The two would then become mutually bothered by each other, leading to the young man forcing himself to take a break and talk to Chamber. Such things got under his nerves easily.</p><p>"Ensign Ledo, how has it been living on the Halberd?" Meta Knight asked.</p><p>The ensign hesitated for a moment to answer. Today was one of the days where the blue puff was able to teach Ledo to speak the language himself. The young man couldn't really tell how he was supposed to answer.</p><p>"It…it good. Hard to work. But it good." </p><p>The knight nodded. "I imagined the rest of the crew might be a bit difficult for you to work with, but I believe that you'll be able to at least mutually respect each other at some point."</p><p>"I hope." </p><p>"I'm sure you will. If someone as stubborn as Dedede can treat you almost like family after what you did to him, anything is possible for you." The knight commented.</p><p>"Fa…mi…ly?" Ledo asked. </p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">The label applied to units comprised of mates and those of blood relations."</span> </em>
</p><p>"That is thing?"</p><p>"…you do not have anything like a family, ensign?" </p><p>"Inefficient. Not needed."</p><p>"…I see."</p><p>There was always something about the way the puff said that phrase that made Ledo tense, but the particularly almost-disappointed tone he used this time made it worse. There was no way for him to tell exactly how the knight was feeling if his eyes didn't change color. At least he was able to create a database in Chamber for that.</p><p>"There is something else on your mind, tell me what it is." Meta Knight ordered.</p><p>Ledo paused for a moment before he answered "…am I useful?"</p><p>"You are useful, ensign. You're just not used to being here." The puff sighed. There was a knock at the door. "Come in."</p><p>Captain Vul entered. "Lord Meta Knight, there's a message for you from Magolor."</p><p>The knight stood up "I'll go see what it is. Take a break, Ledo." The ensign nodded as Meta Knight left the room.</p><p>Now it was just him and the avian captain.</p><p>"Hey, kid, why the long face?" he finally asked.</p><p>"Long…face…?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">He is asking why you look unhappy."</span></em> </p><p>The young man averted his eyes for a moment before he began to speak with Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">I am unable to determine my most appropriate course of action." </span></em>Vul frowned.</p><p>"You know you gotta quit that whole soldier boy mentality you got there. All it's going to do is make your life miserable." </p><p><em>"<span class="u">What do you mean?"</span></em> </p><p>"I mean you have to relax a bit. Even though we have some elements of military protocol on this ship, we're all at least able to loosen up once in a while." That was when Sailor Dee entered the room. "Just remember what I just said." Captain Vul said and left.</p><p>The next day, Ledo was helping Sailor Dee serve breakfast to the crew. The Waddle Dee did the cooking, while the ensign arranged the plates on a tray and served it to those sitting at the tables. It was actually quite calming, a stark contrast to his usual morning work involving machinery.</p><p>"Hey, Ledo, can you do me a favor?" the young man heard Sailor Dee calling him.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Can you take Lord Meta Knight his breakfast? Normally, he'd come here to eat it, but he was up late working last night and is sleeping in."</p><p>The ensign nodded and asked, "What do…I take?"</p><p>The Waddle Dee grabbed a bowl of vanilla gelato with chocolate sauce from the freezer and arranged it neatly on a tray with a small creamer-sized pitcher of espresso.</p><p>"What this?" he asked.</p><p>"It's an affogato. Lord Meta Knight eats one every morning for breakfast."</p><p>Come to think of it, Ledo did remember seeing him eat the same thing for breakfast every day since he started working on the ship. "Do you remember where his room is?" Sailor Dee asked.</p><p>The ensign hesitated for a moment before speaking, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">Yes, I remember. Chamber made a map of the ship's interior when you gave me a tour so I wouldn't get lost."</span> </em>The Dee smiled as Ledo took the tray and headed out.</p><p>The ensign followed Chamber's directions until he reached the location. The door had the insignia worn by Meta Knight on it, showing that this was indeed the right room. Ledo gave three loud knocks on the door. He heard some faint mumbling and shuffling sounds on the other side of the door, as if someone was suddenly woken up by the sound.</p><p>"…who is it?" even with how groggy his voice sounded; it was unmistakably Meta Knight.</p><p>"Breakfast." </p><p>"Just…leave it outside the door, ensign. I'll get it in a minute." The knight responded.</p><p>"Under…stood."</p><p>He placed the tray in front of the door and walked down the hallway until he rounded a corner. He briefly looked back down the hallway to see an arm reach out of the door and pull the tray in. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, I believe you should be getting back to work."</span></em> </p><p>He was startled by the voice of Chamber. "Oh…uh…right…" he began to walk quickly back to the kitchen.</p><hr/><p>It took maybe an hour, but Ledo finished cleaning the kitchen. Sailor Dee had given him a fair exchange where he'll cover the ensign's mechanic duties if he cleaned the kitchen. The unfortunate problem with this is that now he had nothing to do. All he could do was sit in the inner hanger with Chamber and wait for further instructions. Not only that, but he also had to wait to hear back from Magolor. The mage had agreed to search for information about where his allies were throughout space and dimensions, but he and the Lor needed the time to comb for it. He'd contact Chamber if he found something. Back to carving holes in these claws it is. He had to make a new one anyway, since Daroach took the last one he made. One could argue that since thieves generally only take things that are considered valuable, doing that was the mouse's indirect way of complementing his craftmanship, but he still stole something from him.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, are you curious about Meta Knight's true appearance?"</em></span> Chamber asked.</p><p>"What makes you think that?" his pilot responded, not even batting an eye.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I detect brainwaves similar to those of when you stopped moving after delivering breakfast."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Thinking about the war now won't do anything, right?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Correct." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Then I might as well try to distract myself."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Agreed, but with reservations. Returning to your unit is a priority."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I know, but we can't do that without proper coordinates." He blew off a bit of smoke on the claw.</p><p>"Do you have an idea of what he's hiding under his mask?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe such questions are beyond the limitations of your post on this battleship, but I have a working hypothesis." </em> </span>
</p><p>That made him look up from the claw. "What is it?"</p><p><em><span class="u">"My hypothesis is that Meta Knight is the same species as Kirby."</span> </em>The little of the puff's face the ensign had already seen seemed to match up.</p><p>"…do you want to test that hypothesis?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, do you believe that is a good idea?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Well, we don't have anything else to do until we receive more orders or Magolor contacts us. Why don't we test it out?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Agreed, but with reservations. Reasonable course of action would be to withdraw when in danger."</em> </span>
</p><p>Ledo seemingly laughed to himself. "Hopefully it won't have to come to that." He stood up and stretched. "Let's start by asking Captain Vul."</p><hr/><p>"You're asking what Lord Meta Knight looks like without his mask?"</p><p>Everyone on the bridge turned to face the captain and ensign as if the two of them had grown an extra arm.</p><p>"Correct. Would like know." Ledo nodded.</p><p>"Why?! Lord Meta Knight would skin you alive for asking something like that!" Axe Knight yelled from the ship's wheel.</p><p>The ensign paused for a moment before speaking, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">I am curious and…" </span></em></p><p>"Does wherever you come from have the phrase 'curiosity killed the Scarfy'?" Trident Knight asked, leaning against a wall.</p><p> <em>"<span class="u">I do not understand what that means."</span></em> Ledo responded through Chamber.</p><p>"It's simple. Don't stick your nose in things you shouldn't. Otherwise…" he drew a line with a finger approximately where his neck would be. The gesture was enough to tell the ensign what he meant. The young man remembered how serious the blue puff sounded when asking if he saw his face. The crew's current behavior seemed to confirm how protective he was when it came to the subject.</p><p><em><span class="u">"</span><span class="u">Are you all saying this because you don't know or because you don't want to tell me?"</span> </em>He asked again through Chamber.</p><p>"We do know, but we swore not to tell anyone! It's a matter of privacy that we have to respect!" Mace Knight exclaimed. Ledo paused for a moment before talking.</p><p>"Then you… not tell me?"</p><p>"Like hell we would!" the response from the Meta-Knights was unanimous.</p><p>"I mean, you can ask him when he returns from patrol if ya wanted, but I don't think he'll tell you." Vul said as breathed some smoke out of his pipe.</p><p>"Okay. Shall wait."</p><p>"HUH!?" the knights turned to the young man in confusion as he left the room.</p><p>After waiting a few minutes until he was a decent enough distance away, Axe Knight spoke up "Captain Vul, shouldn't we stop him?" The captain paused again to breath out some smoke.</p><p>"Nah, let him go. It's good to see him act less like a soldier." He replied.</p><p>Ledo traversed the hallways until he felt something soft hit his back and give him a cheerful squeeze. There was no doubt about who it was.</p><p>"…hello, Kirby." He said, still a bit stunned from the sudden tackle.</p><p>"Hiiiiiiii Ledooooo!" the puff exclaimed happily before using his hug to flip himself over the young man and land in front of him. "Ah! You're getting better at speaking! Soon you won't need Chamber to interpret everything for you!" the young man couldn't understand why the puff was so excited over something so small. "Are you done with work for the day? Let's go do something!" before Ledo could get a word in, he was beginning to be dragged off to the hanger. How the child had so much energy like this was always a mystery to the young man. However, his mind began to recall that the puff could possibly help with his current investigation.</p><p>"K…Kirby…" he began to talk.</p><p>The puff turned back to face the ensign "What's wrong Ledo, is something wrong? Were they being mean to you? I'll take them on right now if they're being mean to you!" he began to yell before his friend shook his head.</p><p>Ledo paused for a moment before talking through Chamber <em><span class="u">"</span><span class="u">Could you possibly tell me what Meta Knight looks like without his mask?</span>"</em> Upon hearing the end of that sentence, Kirby hesitated to answer for a moment.</p><p>"Well he…it's…um…" the puff shook his head as if he was internally debating with himself. </p><p><em><span class="u">"</span><span class="u">I believe you do know the answer to this question.</span>"</em> Chamber commented.</p><p>"I do, but…" the puff just seemed to become more uncertain "I'd rather respect Meta Knight's privacy…" From the short time the ensign knew this puff, that seemed like a very Kirby thing to say.</p><p>"Oh…" the response just seemed to slip off the young man's tongue.</p><p>"But I think I can introduce you to someone else who might tell you!" the puff's sudden burst of energy was a harsh whiplash to the young man.</p><p>"Another… friend?" he asked. Kirby gave a nod.</p><p>"Come on, let's go!" the ensign felt himself being dragged again. Due to the difference in height, he had no choice but to go along if he didn't want to faceplant onto the floor.</p><p>Tucked between the many hills of Dreamland was a tiny village. To someone who has never been here before, it seemed like any other tiny village in the country. However, this place was actually home to bakery-café-gift shop hybrid Café Meringue and was owned by two of Kirby's friends, Burning Leo and Chilly. As of right now, they only had one customer in their building, and she was humming to herself while looking at her phone. Susie had no idea why Kirby called so out of the blue to meet her in such an out-of-the-way location, but it had to be urgent if that was the case.</p><p>"So…uh…are you ready to order yet, mam?" Burning Leo asked from behind the front counter.</p><p>"I'll just take a mint iced tea for now…" she sighed, impatiently.</p><p>Co-owner nodded as he went to the back. The bell on the front door opened, drawing the secretary's attention, and Kirby walked in with Ledo following him. The puff turned to her and ran over with excitement. "Hi, Susie! Thanks for taking time out of your day to meet with me!"</p><p>The lady narrowed her eyes "You're late by about ten minutes…"</p><p>"I was fashionably late!" the child smiled, only for both the ensign and the secretary to exhale in frustration. "Well, take a seat!" he motioned to the young man, who nodded and sat across from Susie.</p><p>"Oh, I don't believe we met before. Do you mind telling me who you are?" she said, folding her hands as if at a formal business discussion.</p><p>The ensign hesitated for a moment before talking through Chamber <em>"<span class="u">My name is Ensign Ledo of the Human Galactic Alliance. I am the pilot of the Machine Caliber Chamber."</span> </em></p><p>Upon hearing the word "pilot", Susie's eyes seemed to widen. "A Machine Caliber? Is that something like our Invader Armor?" There was excitement in her voice. </p><p><span class="u"><em>"What is this "Invader Armor" you speak of?"</em></span> Chamber and Ledo seemed to both ask this time.</p><p>"They're robots that can be piloted, like Chamber, but they're nowhere near as big." Kirby explained.</p><p>"He has a giant robot? Why didn't you tell me earlier?! Where is it!? With that mechanical voice, are YOU the robot!?" the lady seemed to become more excited upon hearing that.</p><p>"Chamber not here. Left on Halberd."</p><p>The secretary was startled by the sudden change in speaking tone. "Didn't you sound a bit more robotic earlier?"</p><p>Ledo removed the communication device from his ear and held it out <em><span class="u">"My name is Chamber. I am an Autonomous Support Enlightenment Interface System. As Ensign Ledo is still learning the language, I act as an interpreter."</span> </em></p><p>"Ooh, how amazing!" Even Kirby seemed to be taken aback by her sudden squealing. Her excitement was cut short by Chilly standing next to her with her iced tea and an irritated look on his face. The secretary cleared her throat and took the glass.</p><p>After Kirby placed an order for him and the ensign, she suddenly asked "Wait…Ensign Ledo…no, ensign would be a title… Mr. Ledo, you mentioned the Halberd…are you part of the Halberd crew?" The young man nodded.</p><p>"He joined a week ago. He mostly does mechanical maintenance." Kirby said.</p><p>Susie seemed to hum "Well, we might have an opening at Haltmann Works if you're interested!"</p><p>"Not interested."</p><p>"Huh?! Then what did Kirby call me here for?!" she exclaimed.</p><p>The ensign paused for a moment before speaking through Chamber. <em>"<span class="u">Kirby said that you could possibly tell me what Meta Knight looks like without his mask."</span></em></p><p>Susie appeared to frown for a moment before she began to fold her hands again. "Oh, yes, I can tell you everything I know. But in exchange, you give me that robot of yours."</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Oh, but why not? I think it's a fair trade off, considering that I know a lot about him!" she tried to give a smile but couldn't get the image of his icy glare out of her mind.</p><p><span class="u"> <em>"</em><em>Chamber is too important to me."</em> </span>The ensign spoke, his mech following.</p><p>"Oh…" The secretary sighed. </p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"You claim you know a lot about Meta Knight. How?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"We met a while back. Don't dig into it too much." The ensign raised an eyebrow at that. She was clearly hiding something.</p><p>The lady only seemed to shrug and spoke again "Oh but let me offer you another deal. If you and Chamber join the Haltmann Works Company, I'll tell you about him!"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"What?! Why?! We have several employee benefits that…"</p><p>"Do not want." Ledo only continued to glare at her, until she broke eye contact. Susie then seemed to start mumbling to herself, tapping the rim of her glass. During her session of mumbling, Burning Leo placed their orders on the table.</p><p>"Aha! Here's a deal you won't reject!" she suddenly exclaimed. The ensign only tilted his head in confusion. "Allow me to look at your mecha, and I shall answer all I can about Meta Knight!" she crossed her arms, as if confident in herself.</p><p>Ledo only gave an unamused look as he bit into his sandwich.</p><p>"Is that a no then?" the secretary seemed to pout. The young man said nothing and only continued to look at her with silent judgement.</p><p>It didn't take long for him to speak up with Chamber following <span class="u"><em>"I have no reason to trust you right now. Even if you are one of Kirby's friends."</em></span> He took a sip of water. <span class="u"><em>"Based on your shady behavior, I believe that you previously fought Kirby."</em> </span></p><p>The lady seemed to wince at that. "Yes, the Haltmann Works Company did attempt to mechanize Popstar in the past, but it's all fine now! We've instead decided to use the power of science to give people happy lives and family harmony!"</p><p>Ledo seemed to pause for a moment. "Mech…anize?" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">It is the process of turning organic lifeforms into cyborgs by implanting them with various mechanical parts."</span></em>The ensign breathed out heavily upon hearing Chamber's response.</p><p>"But of course, everything's fine now, right, pinky?" she smiled.</p><p>"Yup!" the puff smiled back. The young man quickly finished his meal before standing up. "Oh? Are you leaving already?" Susie questioned.</p><p>Ledo hesitated before speaking through Chamber <em>"<span class="u">Yes, since I'm not getting the information that I want here."</span></em> </p><p>Kirby scratched his head "Sorry, Ledo, I wish I could help more…"</p><p>"Help was appreciated." The young man spoke before turning around and walking towards the door.</p><p>"Wait a second, I think we can talk this out more!" Susie shouted as she ran after the ensign.</p><p>By the time Kirby turned around upon hearing the bells on the front door ring and saw that the secretary was frozen in horror. The answer was clear when he got a better look. Meta Knight was standing in the doorway, cape wrapped around himself.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Lord Meta Knight, what are you doing here?</span>"</em> the ensign calmly spoke through Chamber, as if trying to break the tension that suddenly appeared.</p><p>"I was looking for you, as there was something I wanted to discuss with you." The knight explained before his eyes met those of Susie's behind Ledo. The air suddenly became colder. </p><p><em>"<span class="u">How did you know where I was?</span>" </em>the young man and his AI continued.</p><p>"I asked Chamber for your location. Now, would you care to explain to me what's going on? En. Sign. Ledo." Meta Knight's tone was icier than the young man had ever heard it, especially when he punctuated his title. He didn't really know how exactly to respond.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Kirby wanted me to meet her.</span>"</em> That was the best he could think of.</p><p>The knight seemed to scoff at that. "Really? What for?" the blue puff's tone was calm, but Ledo could've sworn there was a crack in his voice, as if he was trying to hold back what appeared to be anger. Quite poorly, as his eyes were flickering between yellow and red.</p><p>"Meta-sensei, it's my fault!" Kirby ran up to stand in between his mentor and the young man. "I was the person who brought Ledo here to meet her! So please don't get angry at him!" Upon hearing that, the blue puff's eyes turned back to yellow and he exhaled.</p><p>"So…um…Meta Knight…you seem to be…doing well…" Susie spoke up from behind the ensign, in a clearly nervous tone.</p><p>"I am doing well." He huffed.</p><p>"Oh, well… that's good, isn't it…?"</p><p>"No thanks to you!" the knight's sudden outburst caused Ledo and Kirby to stumble back a bit, now placing them out of the way of the secretary.</p><p>"Do you really believe that it's okay to just cover up what you've done?!" He yelled.</p><p>"I already apologized and I'm working to become a better person!" Susie responded quickly, but was cut off by Meta Knight.</p><p>"What? You said "I'm sorry"? Do you really think you're a better person just because you said "I'm sorry"?! Well, it would mean something if it was something like "I'm sorry I spilled tea on your new rug". But that's not the case here. Apologies tend to mean nothing if you put them in front of phrases like "I'm sorry I made you nauseous just thinking about doing one of the things you love for a year" and "I'm sorry that I scarred you for life" and "I'm sorry that I caused millions in damages"! But go on about how you're a better person now, you frigid witch!"</p><p>Ledo and Kirby could only stare in shock. <em><span class="u">"Threat level has climbed by 100%. I recommend that you escape the area as soon as possible."</span> </em>He heard Chamber's voice but could not respond.</p><p>"I said I was working on trying to be better!" the secretary shouted.</p><p>"If that's really the case, then for the love of Nova, accept the fact that you can't fix everything! You absolute waste of oxygen!" The lady seemed to be stunned by those words. "In your case, especially, there are some actions whose consequences can never go away, no matter how much you try to make up for them!"</p><p>"Sir, this is a restaurant, please take your lecture outside." Burning Leo said from behind the counter.</p><p>"WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!" The knight roared at him, slamming his fist on a table so hard that he broke it, to the screaming dismay of the two owners. "…I'll pay for that later." He grumbled before turning to Susie "Good on you for what you're doing, but if I see you anywhere near any of my subordinates or me again, I won't hesitate to cut you down." He then turned around and began to walk away.</p><p>"Meta-sensei, you have to calm down…!" Kirby began to run towards Meta Knight.</p><p>"Leave me alone!" he yelled sharply, freezing the child in his tracks. He then glared at Susie "I've said this once and I will say it again. We will never be friends." That was when he flew out the door, leaving everyone in the café in shock.</p><p>The silence was broken by Bio Spark dropping down from the ceiling "I've arrived to pick up my cake order…" he was cut off upon looking at the scene. "…what happened here?"</p><p>Chilly turned to him slowly and said "Don't worry about it. Let me get your cake from the back."</p><p>While Burning Leo began to clean up the mess that was made, Susie walked up to Ledo. "Mr. Ledo, I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies for earlier." She bowed.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Why didn't you tell me that he hated you?"</em> </span>he asked through Chamber.</p><p>"I know not everyone could forgive my actions and I wanted to start with a clean slate when talking to you. To do that, I didn't say much about my past actions. I'd like to still do something to make it up. So, if you'd let me, I'll pay for your meal and Kirby's as an apology." She sighed. All the young man could do was nod. That was when Kirby ran outside.</p><p>"Hey! Kirby! Wait!" the secretary yelled. Ledo ran after him.</p><p>They ran for half an hour before the duo had only enough energy left to sit by a nearby tree. The two spent the first few minutes panting in exhaustion.</p><p>"Why…did run?" Ledo managed to say.</p><p>"I… wanted to see if I could catch up with Meta Knight." The puff said sadly.</p><p>"He want…to be alone." The ensign replied.</p><p>"I know he said that, but I'm still gonna worry about him." Kirby commented with concern. Ledo could only sigh. That was the most Kirby response if he'd heard one. "Meta Knight usually controls his anger really well, but sometimes he just bursts like that." The child gave a small, half-hearted laugh "It's a bit funny, since he's usually the one lecturing me about how I should control my anger!" The ensign couldn't help but be worried about the young puff. Such a troubled tone of voice sounded so unlike him.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I detect a presence above you, Ensign."</em></span> He heard Chamber's voice and immediately raised his pistol to the tree above him.</p><p>Something dropped down from the tree. "Calm down. Uh…Ledo, your name's Ledo, right? I'm not going to hurt you."</p><p>The young man lowered his pistol, slightly surprised. "How do…you know name?"</p><p>It was the person from the bakery, and his hands were raised to show that he didn't mean any harm to the young man.</p><p>The ninja spoke "My name is Bio Spark, I'm a friend of Kirby's. He told me about you." The pink puff looked up.</p><p>"Hey, Bio, what're you doing here…?" Kirby said almost dully, immediately drawing the ninja's attention.</p><p>"I came to see if you're alright, which you clearly aren't."</p><p>"Yeah…I'm just a bit upset over what happened earlier with Meta Knight and how he suddenly flew off without warning." The puff seemed to sigh.</p><p>"You mean with him snapping at you and destroying a table?"</p><p>Kirby nodded in response. Chilly and Leo likely filled him in on what happened while they were gone.</p><p>"Kirby's…friend?"</p><p>Bio Spark turned his attention to the young man and answered "Yes, we do hang out sometimes, usually with the rest of our little friend group. We should introduce them to you at some point." The ensign nodded in response.</p><p>"Oh yeah, that secretary lady wanted me to give this to you two." He pulled out a box and handed it to Ledo.</p><p>"What this?" he questioned, as if debating on whether or not to open it.</p><p>"It's a lemon tart from Café Meringue. She wants you to have it so you can give it to Meta Knight as an apology or something." Bio Spark replied. Kirby's eyes seemed to light up upon hearing that.</p><p>"How…will help?" Ledo hesitantly asked.</p><p>"Don't you know?! Meta Knight loves sweets!" the pink puff exclaimed.</p><p>"Huh? I thought that was just a rumor." Bio Spark commented.</p><p>"He does, though! He's just won't admit it!" The knight's choice of breakfast should've tipped the young man off to that. He decided to make a mental note of that.</p><p>"Oh! By the way, what were you doing at the café anyway?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"Oh, I was just picking up a cake I ordered for my sister's birthday party tomorrow." The ninja explained.</p><p>"Huh!? A party?! Why wasn't I invited?!" the puff pouted.</p><p>"The Bio Clan is very secretive…I could let you come, but then we'll have to kill you. Sorry, I don't make the rules."</p><p>"LET ME COME! COME OOOONNNN! I WON'T TELL!" </p><p><em>"<span class="u">Attending such an unproductive and dangerous event would not be a reasonable course of action."</span></em> Chamber spoke</p><p>"I DON'T CAREEEE!" Ledo could only sigh.</p><p>A short time later, Kirby and Ledo entered the Halberd's inner hanger.</p><p>"HEY!"</p><p>The duo looked up to see Sailor Dee waving at them. Upon getting their attention, the Waddle Dee slid down the ladder and ran over to them.</p><p>"E-Ensign Ledo! I have orders from Lord Meta Knight!" he exclaimed. That got the young man's attention.</p><p>"What orders?"</p><p>"He wants you to come to his room immediately!" the Dee saluted.</p><p>Ledo hesitated for a moment. "…understood." Clenching the box in his hand, the ensign walked off into the ship, leaving Sailor Dee and Kirby in the inner hanger.</p><p>"Hey, Sailor Dee, is Meta Knight okay?" the pink puff asked.</p><p>"He's probably a bit startled over his outburst earlier, but I think he'll be okay after he talks things out with you and the ensign." The Dee was more confident than usual when he said that, which helped reassure the child.</p><p>"So, you want to go work on a puzzle with me while you wait?"</p><p>"Sure!"</p><p>The Waddle Dee gleefully took the pink puff's hand and began to drag him off, to the puff's own surprise.</p><p>Ledo followed Chamber's directions until he reached Meta Knight's room. The ensign felt himself tense up and had to exhale deeply in order to calm his nerves. The incident at the café continued to weigh heavily on his mind. There was no doubt that he was called here to discuss what he was happened and more than likely be punished for it. Regardless, he was a soldier. He had to accept the consequences. He knocked twice on the door.</p><p>"Who is it?" Meta Knight's voice called back from inside.</p><p>"…Ensign Ledo, sir."</p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p>"Please come in."</p><p>The young man took a deep breath and entered the room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter and the next one were particular favorites of mine to write. As much as I enjoy character interactions, I tend to become worried about writing characters out-of-character. Meta Knight in this chapter was a particular example of that. Overall, I'm very happy with how this chapter turned out.</p><p>While I mentioned Susie in the first chapter, not having her directly appear would be a missed opportunity, especially considering that one of the main reasons I want a Switch-exclusive Super Robot Wars game is so there's a higher chance of Kirby Planet Robobot debuting. I had to correct it.</p><p>Omake (Bonus):</p><p>TK: "Does where ever you come from have the phrase 'curiosity killed the Scarfy'?"</p><p>L: "I do not understand what that means."</p><p>TK: "Well, it's true. My Scarfy is dead and-"</p><p>Vul: "He's saying not to dig into things you shouldn't."</p><p>Mace: "Wait, you can keep a Scarfy as a pet?"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A Soldier's Recollection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 9: A Soldier's Recollection</strong>
</p><p>Meta Knight's room on the Halberd was indeed different compared to the one on the main base.</p><p>While it was still tidy, there were more signs that he lived here. The furniture set up was similar to that of the main base with a bed, a desk facing the window with a lamp and chair (currently occupied by the room's owner), a dresser, and a large bookcase whose contents were protected by a glass door. The difference was that this room also had a filing cabinet with books stacked on top, a wastebasket currently filled with scribbled-on paper and what seemed to be candy wrappers, a jar of what appeared to be candies sitting on the bookshelf, and a nightstand. Ledo stepped further into the room and knelt a short length away from where the desk's chair was. The last thing he wanted to do right now was make the knight defensive.</p><p>Outside of the faint sounds of the engines, the only thing that could be heard in the room was the sound of writing. Getting a better look, the desk had a few books stacked on top, a cup with various writing utensils, a metal dish full of yellow candies, and a photo of Meta Knight with Kirby, Dedede, and Bandana Dee. The young man shifted and continued to look around the room. The walls were mostly barren outside of a wall calendar full of writing that probably indicated that it was a schedule of some sort and a poorly drawn picture of the knight. Based on the level of skill, Ledo assumed the drawing was a gift from Kirby. Then the smell of the room hit him. It heavily reminded the young man of the reading room on the ship, likely due to the number of books in this room. He couldn't exactly describe the scent, but the first word that came to mind was nostalgic, like this was home. Beneath that was another layer of sweetness, but also a faint vanilla scent, likely from the candy and books. He remembered that Meta Knight mentioned that the scent of books was comforting to him in one of their language sessions, and the young man could understand why.</p><p>Suddenly, the blue puff cleared his throat, turning around to face the ensign.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"You wanted to speak to me, Lord Meta Knight?"</em> </span>the young man spoke through Chamber.</p><p>The knight nodded. "First, I'd like to apologize for my behavior at the café. You saw a side of me that I am quite ashamed of, and it would help to clear my conscience if I apologized." He bowed, slightly averting his eyes as if humiliated.</p><p>"No need. Left ship without permission." Ledo responded.</p><p>The blue puff looked up, as if surprised "Really? According to Captain Vul, Kirby dragged you off the ship before he could give you approval to leave." Well, that wasn't entirely wrong. "But Vul did give his approval upon being notified by Chamber and you finished your duties before you left, so I won't hold that against you." He calmly replied.</p><p>"Appreciated." The ensign bowed his head.</p><p>"But, on to the reason why I wanted to talk to you in the first place, are you adjusting any better to life on the Halberd?" the knight seemed to become a little more tense upon asking that.</p><p>"Slightly better. It ok." The young man replied.</p><p>Meta Knight nodded and breathed in deeply before giving his next question "Ensign Ledo…are you still considering returning to the Galactic Alliance?"</p><p>The ensign paused for a moment before speaking, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">As of right now, Chamber and I plan on returning to the Galactic Alliance as soon as I hear word about where our allies are. However, if I am unable to contact them for whatever reason, I shall remain in Dreamland and as part of your crew.</span><span class="u">"</span></em></p><p>"I see…" there was something slightly different about the tone he used that time. There seemed to be a tinge of disappointment in it.</p><p>"Ensign, why did you meet with Susie? I'd like you to be honest."</p><p>The young man pursed his lips before speaking through Chamber again <em>"<span class="u">I have been investigating what your true face looks like. Everyone on the ship and Kirby didn't want to tell me, so Kirby took me to see Susie, since she would likely </span></em><em><span class="u">know."</span> </em></p><p>The knight's eyes turned white and then turned to red as he began to yell at him "Why in the name of Nova would you-?!"</p><p>"Do not trust!"</p><p>The blue puff's eyes changed back to white upon hearing that. "You…don't trust me?"</p><p>Ledo seemed to gasp upon realizing what he had just said.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Lord Meta Knight, I believe what the ensign is trying to say is…" </em> </span>
</p><p>"He doesn't trust me because I don't show my face..." The puff sighed.</p><p>The young man began to speak, Chamber following <em>"<span class="u">It's difficult for me to tell what you're thinking more than half the time, which is why I have such a hard time trusting you."</span> </em></p><p>Meta Knight nodded slowly as his eyes turned back to their normal yellow color. "…I see." The young man couldn't help but clench his fists upon hearing that cursed, murky phrase. There was a chance that he would be thrown off the ship right there, and that caused a pit to develop in his stomach.</p><p>He swallowed and began to speak with Chamber's help <em>"<span class="u">Lord Meta Knight, if you do not mind, would you explain why you hate Susie?"</span></em></p><p>The knight seemed to advert his eyes before speaking again. "I guess I should tell you about it since that ties into that outburst I apologized for earlier. But first…" The blue puff stopped talking for a moment. "…Ensign Ledo, I must emphasize that I do not do this lightly."</p><p>The young man tilted his head in questioning until he saw the knight hesitantly reach up and unfasten a clip on either side of his mask. The puff paused for a moment, as if he was thinking about whether to continue further, but then fluidly took it off. Ledo gave a small gasp upon seeing the face underneath. Chamber's hypothesis was correct! Outside of his blue body and white eyes, Meta Knight looked almost identical to Kirby!</p><p>"…sorry to disappoint you, ensign." The knight gave an annoyed frown, which was almost exactly like his student's annoyed expression. The only thing he lacked was Kirby's child-like pouting.</p><p>"Like…Kirby…" the ensign uttered.</p><p>"I thought you would say that…" the blue puff sighed, placing his mask on his desk and wrapping his cape around himself as he turned back to the young man.</p><p>"Related?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"No, we aren't related by blood, if that's what you're asking. Most is that we're the same species." The puff answered as if the question had been asked before. "Now, onto our next subject…I want you to tell me everything that Susie told you." The serious expression and tone of his voice combined with the cute appearance of his true face was almost jarring, making the young man feel more intimidated talking to him. As expected of someone like Meta Knight.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">She seemed to be interested in Chamber and wanted me to work for this group called the Haltmann Works Company in exchange for the information I wanted. I turned down her offer. Other than that, she mentioned that she fought Kirby before, and her company mechanized Popstar in the past.</span>"</em> Ledo spoke through Chamber. Upon hearing that, the blue puff's expression became more troubled.</p><p>"I see…that gives me an idea of where to start…" he seemed to pull his cape tighter against himself. He then gave a sigh before talking "When the Haltmann Works Company began their invasion a few years ago, my first response was to attack their base with the Halberd. Admittedly, it was not the best of ideas, as we were shot down almost immediately. I then went on the attack on my own but was ambushed by their soldiers and captured."</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Such actions were quite reckless, Meta Knight."</em></span> Ledo's AI partner commented.</p><p>"Indeed, but even I'm not immune from committing impulsive actions sometimes…" his voice quieted in embarrassment as he adverted his eyes and his cheek blushes became more pronounced.</p><p>"Continue please." Ledo said.</p><p>The knight nodded and continued "Everything else was a blur, but when I fully regained consciousness, the first thing I saw was some kind of laboratory. I tried to move, but there were wires embedded into my body and I couldn't. If I tried to move too much, my body would start to hurt. Actually, everything hurt…and it smelled awful. Even as someone who enjoys working with machines, the amount of oil, smoke, and hot metal in that room was just nauseating. I was hyperaware of everything, like my entire body was on overdrive. All my senses felt like they were on maximum output. My mind was racing as it struggled to process all the stimuli around it. It just…hurt. So much that it was a struggle just to focus my thoughts."</p><p>Suddenly the knight reached over to the dish of yellow candies on his desk and popped one into his mouth. It twitched a bit, likely from the flavor, before he continued speaking "By the time my thoughts were sufficiently organized, I realized that I didn't have my sword, mask, or armor. Understandably, I couldn't help but panic internally. That was when that…wretched woman entered." the puff seemed to spit the phrase "I won't forget her first words to me: "Popstar Test Subject Number 02260 Meta Knight has regained consciousness. That's quite impressive, usually people don't wake up until after being converted." That was when the pain began to get worse. She introduced herself as the private secretary of the Haltmann Works Company and said that I held immense power that made me worthy of a high position in their company. But first I'd need a few…modifications, to use her wording."</p><p>Meta Knight reached back to the dish and popped another of the yellow candies into his mouth. "I asked how she knew my name, and she apparently had some information extracted from my mind." Ledo looked shocked. Not even the Galactic Alliance had that kind of technology! The knight continued his story "I remember vividly what she said their goal was: prosperity and efficiency. I was harshly reminded of that day several years ago where I attempted to take over Dreamland." Ledo's mind recalled what he had been told about that incident and hesitated to answer.</p><p>He then suddenly spoke through Chamber <em>"<span class="u">While such measures of action are extreme, I believe that focusing on raising the efficiency of such lazy natives is…"</span></em></p><p>"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"</p><p>The ensign winced back. If looks could kill, the glare the blue puff gave the ensign now would've killed him several times over "Do you know how horrifying it is to not be in control of your own body?! How it feels to find out that all your painful memories and secrets were learned by some despicable company?! I…I've never felt so violated in my life!" the knight panted a bit, before his eyes began to widen in horror upon seeing the young man trembling while struggling to keep his poker face. "…dammit…I did it again…!" the puff reached over to the bowl of candies and put two into his mouth, clenching his head.</p><p>"Forgive me, ensign, I…"</p><p>"Do not. Should not have said."</p><p>Meta Knight seemed to be surprised by that response and flinched back a bit.</p><p>He nodded and then began to speak again. "In any case, Kirby was able to free me, but I couldn't work with machinery for a year. The first week after that happened, I tried to perform maintenance on the Halberd, and I threw up. The very thought of it made me sick to my stomach. Additionally, while the Fountain of Dreams gives people good dreams, it doesn't stop people who have undergone traumatic events from having nightmares about them. Because of that, I often had nightmares about the experience I had in that lab. That resulted in several sleepless nights and several missed training sessions with Kirby. The only things I had to be thankful about were that my crew was safe and that the scars from the mechanization process healed. Well, all except…" the knight pointed to a small, barely noticeable scar next to his right eye.</p><p>"Can barely see." Ledo sighed, squinting.</p><p>"That's true, but to me, it represents the fact that, while physical scars can heal, emotional scars can stick around for a very long time." The ensign noticed a tinge of depression in the knight's voice. That was when he remembered the box next to him.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight." The young man held out the box to him.</p><p>"…what is this?" Meta Knight hesitated to take it.</p><p>"From Bio Spark. Asked to give to you. Lemon tart."</p><p>The blue puff's eyes lit up for a moment before taking the box. "T-thank you very much…" the ensign noticed a small smile creep onto his face. The knight's smile felt a lot different than Kirby's. If Kirby's was bright and sparkling with childish wonder, Meta Knight's was calm and gentle with the elegance of an adult. It gave the young man a warm feeling inside. "I didn't know it was that obvious that I eat lemon drops to calm my nerves…" the knight then uttered in slight embarrassment.</p><p>Ledo paused for a moment before talking through Chamber <em>"<span class="u">Is that the name of those candies you were eating?"</span></em> he pointed to the bowl on the desk.</p><p>"Y-yes." He turned away to put the box on his desk.</p><p>"Ensign, one more thing before you are dismissed." The blue puff turned back around "Do not speak of this to anyone. If you tell anyone about what just happened, I'm using you and Chamber as target practice." The young man couldn't tell if he was joking or not due to the lack of a dead-serious tone but decided against saying anything just in case. The knight turned back around and began to put his mask back on. By the time he was done, he noticed that Ledo hadn't moved at all "…what's wrong?" The young man shifted uncomfortably.</p><p>"Legs…asleep…" the ensign uttered. He could've sworn that he heard Meta Knight suppress a laugh.</p><p>Upon exiting the room, Ledo saw Kirby fidgeting by the room.</p><p>"You…talk to him too?" he asked.</p><p>"Yeah…I'm a bit nervous about it." The pink puff averted his eyes.</p><p>"Worry not. In better mood." The young man responded.</p><p>The child smiled and nodded before walking in. A few minutes after, the ensign could faintly hear their conversation, which seemed to be mostly Meta Knight trying to calm his student, who had burst into apology-filled crying. That's when he felt someone tapping him. He looked down to see Sailor Dee.</p><p>"Would you like to come help me with dinner?" the Waddle Dee asked. The young man nodded and followed him off.</p><p>The two worked together in mostly silence until Sailor began to speak up. "So…um…don't be mad, but I heard your conversation with Captain Vul and Lord Meta Knight yesterday about you being worried about being useful." The ensign immediately turned his head to face him. The Dee continued to speak "I understand how that feels. When I first started working for Lord Meta Knight, I thought I wasn't useful because I didn't have any combat abilities."</p><p>Ledo hesitated to speak before beginning with Chamber <em>"<span class="u">You don't have any combat abilities?! Why are you on this ship!? Such a thing wouldn't be allowed in the Galactic Alliance! The war with the Hideauze does not have room for those who can't…"</span></em></p><p>"I had the same thoughts as you at some point. "Why did he even accept me if I can't fight?" "Wouldn't I just be dead weight to everyone else?" You know, things like that."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"However, the goal of the Galactic Alliance is to eradicate the Hideauze. Those that cannot perform that task are instantly culled."</em> </span>
</p><p>The Waddle Dee gave a look of concern. "It's as Captain Vul said..." he murmured to himself before speaking again "Say all the Hideauze were defeated. What would you do then?"</p><p>The ensign paused for a moment before speaking with Chamber. <span class="u"><em>"I would standby and await further instructions."</em></span></p><p>"What if they never came?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I would continue to standby."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Well then, we're quite similar, aren't we?" The young man gave a confused look. "Well, you have to live if you're standing by, right?" The ensign couldn't think of a proper response to that.</p><p>It was seven at night by the time Ledo and Sailor Dee themselves sat down to eat. The rest of the crew had already eaten, so they had the table to themselves. As the young man began to have his meal, he realized that Kirby and Meta Knight hadn't come yet. It seemed a bit ridiculous for their talk to take several hours, even after remembering that the knight was trying to calm his student down when he left. Perhaps he wanted to do some training and that was why they were taking so long.</p><p>"About our conversation from earlier…I don't see myself as unnecessary or useless anymore." The ensign looked up at the Waddle Dee. "I was part of the main crew during Lord Meta Knight's plan to take over Dreamland. When the ship was going down, everyone else evacuated…except for me. I don't really remember why at the time, but I stayed on the ship and barely escaped with Lord Meta Knight."</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I did not expect you to have performed such reckless actions."</em></span> Chamber commented.</p><p>"I don't know if that's meant to be a complement or not, but I'll take it. Anyway, after that incident, Lord Meta Knight fell into a deep depression. It was a bit understandable, though, he practically threw millions of dollars into the sea, he broke the trust of his own student, and he broke the trust of what seemed to be everyone in Dreamland. Then, the crew of the Halberd came through to support him and remind him that he wasn't alone! While he did eventually make amends with Kirby and the others, he probably wouldn't have done it as quick without us. We even worked together to help raise the Halberd out of the sea!" the Waddle Dee scratched his head and continued "I guess the whole point of that whole thing I told you is that, despite how distant and cold he seems to act, Lord Meta Knight needs us! That must mean someone needs you as well! That's the reason why you survived, right?"</p><p>Ledo stopped eating and began to talk <span class="u">"<em>Only those that can continue to fight the Hideauze are fit to survive."</em></span></p><p>There was a pause in the conversation as Meta Knight and Kirby silently sat at the table. Both of them seemed to be exhausted and the pink puff's eyes seemed to be slightly red with a few wet streaks on his cheeks, as if he had cried a lot. The ensign wanted ask what happened, but Sailor Dee began to talk again.</p><p>"Then is there someone you need? I'm not just here because I need Lord Meta Knight or he needs me, I'd argue I'm here because I want to be here."</p><p>"But that is not…" Ledo burst out speaking for a moment before dropping into his own language to have Chamber take over <em>"<span class="u">To the Alliance, that which is useless should not have the right or any desire to exist."</span></em> </p><p>Sailor Dee tilted his head "Then why do you make those claw flute things? I don't see how you could use that for war." He asked.</p><p>"A…flute?" the ensign took out the completed claw that he had constantly carried on him. "This?"</p><p>The Dee nodded. "May I see it?" The young man handed it over to the subordinate, who examined it. "Yup…it's a flute…you mind if I play it?"</p><p>"Play?"</p><p>"Yeah, you blow into it and sounds come out through the air holes! If you string various sounds together, it creates music! Watch!" Sailor Dee began to play the flute, and within Ledo's mind, several faint memories began to emerge.</p><hr/><p>They seemed to have been locked away for years.</p><p>A memory of someone carving a claw in a similar manner to that flute.</p><p>A memory of receiving it as a gift from young boy greatly resembling himself.</p><p>Smiling back at each other before the boy's pod was released out into space.</p><p>The shock upon it happening and the realization of what that truly meant.</p><p>It created a black hole within his heart. One that drew in so many emotions that he couldn't just pick one in particular. Slowly, one began to emerge. It was a painful, gnawing feeling that he did not recognize, as if something important to him had been lost and could never be found again. The more he thought about it, the stronger that emotion became.</p><hr/><p>"Ledo, why are you crying? Is something wrong?" The young man was snapped back to reality by Kirby's voice.</p><p>Wiping his face, he could indeed feel wet streaks of tears running down his face.</p><p>"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know my playing was that bad!" Sailor Dee seemed to panic.</p><p>"No…I…why…" the ensign continued to wipe his face.</p><p>"Perhaps Sailor Dee playing the flute caused you to recall a sorrowful memory." Meta Knight analyzed.</p><p>"Is…that it?" the young man asked.</p><p>"I don't see why not. Memories, good and bad, can tie themselves to certain objects, sounds, and locations and make you recall them whenever you think about things associated with them." The knight explained.</p><p>"Is...that so…?" that was the only response Ledo could give.</p><p>"By the way, you two are eating dinner later than usual, aren't you?" Sailor Dee asked.</p><p>"I wanted to come after apologizing, but Meta Knight made me do extra sword training…it...really hurt, especially since he didn't hold back as much as he sometimes seems to..." the pink puff wiped his cheeks, as if suddenly remembering they were wet. Based on the two puffballs' numerous cuts and exhaustion, the ensign assumed that was true. The older puff even seemed to have a new mask on, likely since the other was broken.</p><p>"Consider it your punishment for dragging Ledo off the ship without proper permission." the knight momentarily flinched, as if in pain.</p><p>"META-SENSEI, YOU BULLY! AT LEAST PUNISH LEDO, TOO! I DID THAT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR SECRET IN THE FIRST PLACE!" The knight seemed to laugh as Kirby pouted in his usual childish way.</p><p>"I am aware…" The young man appeared to be confused.</p><p>The blue puff cleared his throat before speaking again "Ensign Ledo, while Vul did approve of you leaving the ship, you still tried to investigate my true appearance, an act which is considered punishable. Thus, I have decided on a fitting punishment for you. Kirby was considered an accomplice in this matter, which is why I had him undergo his beforehand."</p><p>"BUT I'M NOT EVEN PART OF YOUR CREW!"</p><p>"Yes, but you are my pupil."</p><p>"META-SENSEIIIIIII!" the pink puff yelled as he shook his mentor.</p><p>"Ack! Kirby! For the love of Nova, be careful! OW!" That caused Sailor to immediately run into the kitchen.</p><p>The ensign frowned after hearing Meta Knight mention "punishment". "Throw off ship?" he asked.</p><p>The older puff shook his head "I said I would allow you to stay on my ship until you can return to your allies and I am a man of my word. Instead, you will be performing all maintenance work on the Halberd for a week. Alone." He seemed to emphasize the last part.</p><p>"But that's…!" The young man stopped, apparently realizing it was useless to try to further discuss such matters. At least that reminded the ensign that he should probably thank Captain Vul at some point.</p><p>"I can at least guide him to each task he needs to do, right?" Sailor Dee asked, returning with an ice pack wrapped with a paper towel.</p><p>The knight took the pack and placed it on his arm. He then paused for a moment, as if he was thinking "…I believe that is fair enough. He can't do any fixing if he doesn't know what he needs to do." He finally said.</p><p>"Understood. Start…tomorrow." Ledo replied.</p><p>The blue puff gave a nod before turning to his pouting student. "Kirby, you did well during our intense training session. I believe you deserve to be rewarded with dessert for that."</p><p>The child's eyes immediately lit up. "Really?! Thank you, Meta-sensei!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fairly short chapter this time.</p><p>To be honest, this might be one of my favorite chapters so far (I've actually completed up to Chapter 12 by now and am currently working on 13). It was enjoyable for me to write, and I hope it was enjoyable for you to read. My current worry is that the formatting makes it hard to read, but I guess it's fine if no one said anything about it.</p><p>It seems there are a lot of people enjoying this story, and I'm very grateful for that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Sun, Sky, A New Breakthrough</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 10: Sun, Sky, A New Breakthrough</strong>
</p><p>"…sore…" Ledo groaned as he turned over in bed.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Reasonable course of action: try to fall asleep and let your body recover."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I'd love to do that, Chamber, but…ack!" pain shot through his body.</p><p>It had been a week since the incident with Susie happened. Meta Knight kept true to his word when it came to giving out his punishment. Thankfully, he was done after today. There was at least a bright side to this past week, Ledo's language ability had improved significantly, almost to the point where was able to speak near-perfect sentences. While he occasionally needed help from Chamber, he was mostly independent. It seems those lessons from Sailor Dee and Meta Knight finally paid off.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign, incoming call from Magolor."</em></span> Chamber suddenly said.</p><p>"Well, answer it!"</p><p>The holographic screen of his translator showed that he was connected to the call.</p><p>"Hellllooooo, Ledo! How's it going?" the mage chirped as a video feed of him showed up on screen.</p><p>"I'm tired from working all week, but I'm doing well." He replied.</p><p>"It's great to see that your language abilities have improved since I last talked to you! Oh, you said that you were working all week? That Meta Knight is such a slave driver, isn't he?" the mage seemed to laugh.</p><p>"It was my punishment for investigating his true appearance." The ensign sighed.</p><p>"Oh, that changes everything! At least you seemed to get off easy from it! You know what he did to me when I tried to do that? He put me in a sleeper hold! I was out for a whole day, I believe!" Enough of the small talk now.</p><p>"Magolor, was there something that you wanted to tell me?" the young man asked.</p><p>"Oh, right! It's about the thing you asked me to do!" the mage's reply made it sound like an afterthought. "I have good news and bad news. But, because I'm such a nice guy, I'm gonna let you pick which you want to hear first!" he responded cheerfully.</p><p>"Give me the bad news first." Ledo sounded a bit impatient when he replied.</p><p>"Good, that might be the longer of the two." That didn't sound good. "Chamber told me his hypothesis about you being separated from your unit because you were attacked while the ship was doing an emergency teleport. If his hypothesis is correct, you are more than likely not even from this dimension."</p><p>The young man couldn't hide his shock. "What do you mean!?"</p><p>The mage continued "I can't exactly prove it, but I think there was a glitch in the teleportation system that created a dimensional rift. You fell through this rift and drifted through Another Dimension for…six months, I believe Chamber said you were in cryostasis for, before being spit back out into space and crash landing on Popstar. And the rest is history!" he clapped. However, all this information was so much for the young man to process.</p><p>"…and the bad news?" he managed to utter.</p><p>"Oh right, that. With the usual pattern of rifts closing and opening whenever they feel like it, your chance of returning to your to your original dimension is about 2% at most."</p><p>"Even with the Lor Starcutter?"</p><p>"Even with the Lor Starcutter. But even if we could, we don't know where your allies are in that dimension. I mean, you could send a distress signal, but you'd probably be six feet under by the time someone receives it!" Magolor's cheerful tone was a bit unnerving to him upon hearing that.</p><p>"So, I can't return to my unit…" he uttered.</p><p>"…yeah, pretty much." The mage commented.</p><p>"If this is the bad news…then what's the good news?!" the ensign yelled.</p><p>Magolor seemed to flinch a bit in response before speaking "Oh…uh…I did manage to find some data from your dimension. I didn't know if you wanted me and Chamber to translate it for you." Some data? Could it be from the Galactic Alliance?</p><p>"I would like that, thank you."</p><p>The mage nodded. "Well, you already know where I'll be, so what time would you like to meet?" he dipped back into his cheerful way of speaking.</p><p>"Maybe around 11 in the morning? That should give me enough time to finish my duties and ask Meta Knight for permission to leave the ship." The young man replied.</p><p>Magolor smiled "Well then, see you tomorrow! Good night, Ledo!"</p><p>"Yeah…good night…" the call ended.</p><p>The ensign stared at the ceiling of his room. <span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, do Magolor's words weigh heavily on your mind?"</em> </span>Chamber asked.</p><p>"Chamber, do you really believe that we're in a different dimension?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I have hypothesized that idea, but lack sufficient evidence needed to prove it."</em> </span>
</p><p>The ensign did not know how to respond to that.</p><p>Everything was just too much.</p><p>Hopefully, he could just fall asleep and think about it tomorrow.</p><hr/><p>"So, let me get this straight: You're from a whole different dimension and you probably can't return to your unit?" Captain Vul asked.</p><p>"Correct."</p><p>"And even if you could, it'd probably be thousands of years before someone picks up your distress signal?" the avian captain continued.</p><p>"Correct."</p><p>"I see…" Meta Knight commented, briefly pausing while eating his breakfast. This time, the ensign couldn't identify his tone of voice, which slightly worried him.</p><p>"So, now that you two know you can't go back to your original dimension, what are you going to do now?" Vul was the one to ask that.</p><p>"I…have not decided that yet…"</p><p><span class="u"><em>"We do not know much about the outside world, so it would be best to stay in an area we are familiar with. Reasonable course of action: continue to work on the Halberd."</em></span> Chamber commented.</p><p>"Quite telling when a tin-can has more decision-making ability than you…" Vul seemed to sigh.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"You know what I mean!"</p><p>The young man could've sworn that he heard Meta Knight suppress a laugh. That was when he remembered.</p><p>"Magolor also told me that he discovered some data from my dimension. He asked if I wanted to meet up with him, so may I have permission to leave the ship with Chamber after I finish my work today?" the young man asked.</p><p>"You can leave after you finish eating." The knight suddenly said.</p><p>"Huh?" Ledo was a bit surprised by that response.</p><p>"You completed your punishment without complaint, and I believe you deserve to be rewarded for that. Go ahead."</p><p>"…thank you very much, Lord Meta Knight." The ensign said with a bow and left the dining room.</p><p>When it seemed like the young man was out of earshot, Captain Vul spoke up.</p><p>"Are you happy that he's staying?"</p><p>"Whatever makes you say that?"</p><p>"I may be old, but someone as skilled in archery as I am still needs to have a keen eye for things. I noticed you hiding a smile."</p><p>The blue puff only chuckled to himself.</p><hr/><p>"Hello, Ledo! Welcome to my humble abode!" the mage greeted him upon stepping inside the Lor Starcutter.</p><p>"Thanks for agreeing to meet with me, Magolor." Ledo responded. "What do you need me to do while you translate?"</p><p>"Oh…uh…I have a few favors to ask…since I can talk with Chamber remotely while translating." The mage handed him a camera. "Start by taking this camera and taking a picture of Dyna Blade!"</p><p>"Dyna...Blade?" the young man asked in confusion.</p><p>"A big bird, ask Kirby he knows everything about Dyna Blade, he did fight and befriend her, after all." The mage smiled.</p><p>"...at this point I'm not surprised he fought and befriended Dyna Blade…but why a picture?" he asked.</p><p>"This camera turns images into data, I plan on using Dyna Blade's data to help decode the data from your universe. It's complicated." That was a strange answer, but if it allowed him to translate, it was probably fine.</p><p>"Understood. I shall return with the picture." He replied.</p><p>"Very good! You can take Chamber with you!" Magolor explained.</p><p>"Thank you again."</p><p>Just as he was about to head outside, the mage called out to him again "Oh, by the way, I hope you don't mind, but I asked Kirby to help you with these favors today!"</p><p>"That's fine." He calmly replied and walked outside.</p><hr/><p>"Chamber, do you mind being left here?" he asked his mech.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Ensign Ledo, why do you wish for me to remain here?</span>"</em> the AI responded.</p><p>"This Dyna Blade is a giant bird, correct? Then that means she'll likely be scared off if I take you with me."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Agreed, but with reservations. The path to the mountain has a high probability of being dangerous."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I'll have Kirby with me." The ensign responded.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I recall you saying the same thing several weeks ago on a trip around Dreamland where you crash landed several times and were in severe danger of drowning."</em> </span>
</p><p>The young man could only sigh "We shouldn't need the Warp Star this time, so there's less risk of that happening. Besides, I can call you at any time if I need help."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"If you say so, ensign. I will leave the final decision to you."</em> </span>
</p><p>There was silence between them until he heard something speeding through the air towards him. He grabbed it, and in his hands was a familiar pink ball.</p><p>"HIIIIII LEDOOOOO!" Kirby exclaimed cheerfully, waving from within his grip.</p><p>"Hello, Kirby." He responded.</p><p>"Hee hee…I didn't think you'd catch me so easily!" the puff giggled.</p><p>"I believe you've done this every time we've met. Of course, I'd catch onto it." Ledo shook his head.</p><p>"Then I'll just have to start thinking of new ways to outsmart you then!" the child seemed to pout.</p><p>"Anyway, Magolor said that you'd be helping me out today. Can you start by guiding me to where Dyna Blade is?" The ensign continued.</p><p>"You mean Candy Mountain? Yup! Come on, let's go!" He began to drag the young man off towards Peanut Plains.</p><hr/><p>In a shaded area close to Cocoa Cave, the Animal Friends were playing cards.</p><p>"I declare clubs." Kine said, throwing down an eight.</p><p>"I think you can just say "change to clubs"." Coo responded.</p><p>"Ya'll think we'd figure out how to play Crazy Eights after four games." Rick added.</p><p>"I think we did!" Pitch smiled.</p><p>"We should've played Go Fish…" Nago yawned.</p><p>"You only say that because of the name!" Chuchu grumbled.</p><p>That was when they heard a familiar sound running out of the cave. "Oy! It's Kirby!" Rick shouted. Upon hearing his friend's voice, the puff skidded to a stop, but was thrown into the ground by Ledo's momentum.</p><p>"I…never thought I'd be so happy to hit the ground in my life…" the ensign moaned.</p><p>"Owwwww…" Kirby moaned.</p><p>"Oh my gosh! Are you okay, Kirby?!" Chuchu cried.</p><p>"Never been better…" he uttered.</p><p>"It seems he brought Ledo with him." Coo added, looking at the young man picking himself up off the ground.</p><p>"No, you aren't! And it's because of that stupid robot boy!" The octopus pouted.</p><p>The ensign hesitated to speak, as if trying to remember names. Finally, he said "…Rick, Coo, Kine, Pitch, Nago, and Chuchu correct?"</p><p>"Ayyy! You remembered our names!" Rick seemed to applaud.</p><p>"It sounds like you've gotten better at talking." Coo pointed out.</p><p>"I had taken some language lessons while I was on the Halberd."</p><p>"The Halberd?! You mean you work for Meta Knight!? That's so cool!" Pitch exclaimed.</p><p>"Yup! Now I have an excuse to go there whenever I want!" Kirby said happily.</p><p>"But don't you already do that, Kirby?" Kine questioned.</p><p>"I guess, but now I can do it more often!" he cheered.</p><p>"Heeeeyyyyy, Ledooo, where's that robot of yours?" Nago stretched.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"While I am not physically there, I am present."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Wait, what?!"</p><p>Ledo took off the communication device from his ear and held it out.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"As Ensign Ledo and Kirby are going to encounter the wildlife of this area, it was decided that remaining at the Lor Starcutter was the reasonable course of action."</em> </span>Chamber explained.</p><p>"Wildlife…wait, you're gonna go see Dyna Blade!?" Kine exclaimed.</p><p>"Magolor asked me to take a picture of her to help with translating some data."</p><p>"Well, couldn't you go get it yourself?" Chuchu huffed.</p><p>"I don't know where Dyna Blade's nest is…" the ensign sighed.</p><p>"Oy, mate, could ya turn down the jealous a bit?" Rick followed up.</p><p>"Jealous? Who's jealous? Not me!" she continued to pout.</p><p>"You clearly are…" Coo shook his head.</p><p>"Well, then, why don't you guide him up to Dyna Blade's nest, Chuchu?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"WHAAAAA-!?" she began to gasp.</p><p>"Is that a "no" then?" the pink puff asked.</p><p>"Oh, that reminds me!" Pitch suddenly said "Kirby, are you going to participate in the Megaton Punch Championship today?"</p><p>"Wait, that's today?!" he panicked.</p><p>"Uh-huh."</p><p>"AHHHHHH! I NEARLY FORGOT!" the pink puff screamed.</p><p>"Did the soldier boy make you forget?" Chuchu pouted.</p><p>"Well, we're sorry for holding both of you up!" Kine said.</p><p>"N-no, it's fine! I guess we'll just meet up at the championship!" the puff uttered as if trying to organize his thoughts.</p><p>"Alright! See ya later, Kirby!" Rick exclaimed as the duo headed off.</p><p>"You think we should've told him it was in another hour or so?" Kine asked.</p><p>"Yes, you should've!" Chuchu snapped.</p><p>"Now, where were we?" Coo asked.</p><p>"I think it's my turn, since Kine was the last one who played." Pitch said, drawing a card. And then another. And another. And another. And another.</p><p>"…wait, you seriously don't have anything you can play?" Nago questioned. The young bird shook his head.</p><p>"Club, 8, or both, Pitch." Chuchu grumbled.</p><p>"I know, I don't have anything!" he continued to draw cards from the deck.</p><hr/><p><em><span class="u">"Kirby, I cannot comprehend why the person known as Chuchu acts so hostile towards Ensign Ledo.</span>"</em> Chamber suddenly commented.</p><p>"Oh, Chuchu sometimes gets jealous of other people. Though I think it's also because Ledo pointed a gun at her when he first met her because she reminded him of one of those Hideauze things you both talk about." The puff replied. Well, that's one way to muck up a first impression.</p><p>"Speaking of which, you never told me what they look like." The puff added.</p><p>"I believe Chamber might have an image in his database…" the ensign uttered.</p><p>It didn't take long to reach the top. Candy Mountain provided a magnificent view of the land below. The young man couldn't help but gaze in awe. Upon turning in the direction that led towards the nest, Ledo and Kirby saw the familiar figure of Taranza laying on the ground.</p><p>"Hey! Are you okay!?" the young man shouted. No response.</p><p>That was when they started to run over. "Taranza, are you all right?!" Kirby shouted.</p><p>"I'm…okay…just tired from…rock climbing…" the spider mage gasped, feeling around on the ground until he found a canister of water and began to drink from it.</p><p>"…why were you rock climbing?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"Well, you see…it started when Dedede banned me from doing parkour in the castle…" Taranza began.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I do not understand the logic of your actions, Taranza. From what I recall, you are not in the most optimal physique for neither rock climbing nor parkour."</em> </span>Chamber said.</p><p>"It's because I want to find another hobby!" the spider mage exclaimed.</p><p>"I believe you mentioned that to me before on my trip to Castle Dedede with Meta Knight." Ledo recalled.</p><p>"Ah, yes, I see you remember now." The assistant smiled.</p><p>"Huh? Dedede let you into his castle again?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"Meta Knight wanted me to accompany him there." The ensign explained before he noticed Taranza staring at him. "What is it?"</p><p>"How have your language skills improved in only about two and a half weeks?!" the spider mage exclaimed.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Ensign Ledo has been taught every day." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh, I guess that makes sense." Taranza scratched his head.</p><p>"But, anyway, let's head to get a picture of…" Kirby began to talk, but was cut off by a boulder that ran him over. Horrified, Ledo and Taranza looked up the mountain.</p><p>"HA HA HA HA! THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN BE THAT BLIND!" The ensign recognized the voice from Ice Cream Island.</p><p>"MARX, YOU GREMLIN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" the spider mage was forced to dodge another boulder.</p><p>"I dunno! I thought it'd be fun pushing boulders down this mountain! It's just a bonus that I actually hit someone!" he laughed.</p><p>Kirby dusted himself off as he picked himself up and yelled "Doing that is dangerous you know!"</p><p>"Naw, ya think? So…are Apple Boy and the two Christmas Cakes here as well or is it just the pale-looking wreck and Taranza?" the jester asked.</p><p>"No, it's just Taranza and Ledo…wait, where'd he go?" the pink puff looked around and couldn't see him until he heard struggling from back up the mountain. The two of them ran up to see Ledo holding Marx in a headlock.</p><p>"Agh! Let me go! It's just a prank, bro!" The ensign then suplexed him into the ground.</p><p>"Let's go." The young man continued to walk up the mountain, Taranza following after. Kirby walked over to Marx.</p><p>"You need help?" the puff asked.</p><p>"What do you think?" the jester mumbled from within the ground. It took a bit of time for him to be pulled out.</p><p>"Danke schön…" Marx spit some dirt out of his mouth. "Mein Nova…some people really are stuck ups…"</p><p>"Not everyone likes to be pranked, you know. Maybe if you try to be nice to them, they won't react to you so violently!" Kirby smiled. The jester only stared back in indifference.</p><p>"Nah…that doesn't suit me." He huffed.</p><p>"I'm sure you can incorporate it into yourself somehow! You just have to start!" The puff exclaimed. "Come with us!" he reached a stub out.</p><p>"With that pale-looking wreck? Maybe when hell freezes over…" The jester grumbled. Kirby only smiled as he dragged Marx off. "HEY! WAIT! WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?! I DIDN'T AGREE TO THIS! STOP! HALT!"</p><hr/><p>The group reached the nest a short time later. There were three giant baby birds in the nest.</p><p>"Chamber…what are these?" Ledo asked.</p><p><em><span class="u">"I believe they are Dyna Blade's young.</span>"</em> The AI responded.</p><p>"Wow! For someone that acts so smart, you're really dumb!" Marx snarked.</p><p><em><span class="u">"There are no birds in space, so the ensign is unfamiliar with them</span>." </em>Chamber responded.</p><p>"What do we do now?" the young man asked.</p><p>"Well, Magolor said he wanted a picture of Dyna Blade, right? So, we wait for Dyna Blade!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>"SKREEEEEEEE!" A loud sound echoed through the sky above them.</p><p>"Speaking of which…" Taranza commented. A giant bird slowly floated down from the skies above. The ensign couldn't help but tense up in response to the massive gust of wind and had to brace himself.</p><p>"SCHEISSE! I'M GONNA BE BLOWN AWAY!" Marx shouted as Taranza held onto his foot. Soon, the wind began to stop, and he looked up to see the same giant bird majestically towering over him.</p><p>"Is this…?" he began.</p><p>"Yup! This is Dyna Blade!" Kirby said, cheerfully. The young man didn't know how to react.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Ensign Ledo, remember that you need to take a photo.</span>"</em> Chamber spoke.</p><p>"Ah. Right." He abruptly said.</p><p>"Hold on a second!" the pink puff stopped him before turning to the bird.</p><p>"Dyna Blade, my friend needs to take a picture of you for something! Can he take your picture please?" The bird tilted its head, as if thinking about what Kirby had just said. Normally, the ensign would've been surprised by this, but he had seen more than enough in his time in Dreamland to believe that speaking to a bird was possible.</p><p>"Chirp." Dyna Blade replied.</p><p>"Kirby, what did she say?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"She said it was fine." The puff smiled. The young man stepped forward and took the photo.</p><p>"Thank you!" he yelled.</p><p>"Chirp!" the bird replied as she turned her attention to her chicks.</p><hr/><p>"So, now what are you two going to do?" Taranza asked, as they began to walk back down the mountain.</p><p>"Chamber, has Magolor received the picture?" the young man asked.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I have confirmed that he has received it…incoming call from Magolor."</em></span> The AI spoke.</p><p>"Put him through." He heard the voice of the mage on the other end.</p><p>"Hello, Ledo! I got your picture! Did anyone ever tell you that you have some potential for photography?" he began to ramble.</p><p>"Magolor, what do you need?" the ensign questioned impatiently.</p><p>"Sorry! Sorry! Looking through what I translated with Chamber so far, could you possibly get some seismic data? I believe this might help us understand what this data is about more. I remember reading something about the Megaton Punch Tournament going on today. Could you possibly go to that?" That was a strange request, but he had to oblige.</p><p>"Understood."</p><p>The young man hung up. "What did Magolor say?" the puff asked.</p><p>"He wants me to collect seismic data from the Megaton Punch tournament." Kirby's eyes widened upon hearing that.</p><p>"OH MY GOSH! I TOTALLY FORGOT I'M PARTICIPATING IN THAT!" he yelled while summoning the Warp Star and grabbing Ledo, who Taranza grabbed onto.</p><p>"Wait, what about me?" Marx yelled.</p><p>"What about you?!" the spider mage shouted as they flew off.</p><p>The jester stared, dumbfounded.</p><p>"That son of a bitch!" he shouted.</p><hr/><p>The stadium was extremely crowded due to the event, but thankfully, Ledo and Taranza were able to get front row seats due to being early enough. It was curious to the young man why people were so excited about this event. Based on its name, he assumed it to be some kind of fighting tournament. He would ask Kirby, but the puff said he had to go warm up or he'll cramp his arm like last time. Apparently, that was how he came in second the last time.</p><p>"Taranza, you wouldn't happen to know what this tournament is about, would you?" the young man asked.</p><p>The spider mage seemed to sigh as he swallowed a piece of watermelon.</p><p>"I think the Megaton Punch tournament originally started because Dedede wanted to humiliate Kirby, but it backfired horribly, and it somehow became a quinquennial event." He explained.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"According to your statement, that would mean the previous tournament was five years ago."</em></span> Chamber asked.</p><p>The mage nodded "It'll make sense why it's quinquennial when you see how it goes."</p><p>"Dedede started a tournament just to humiliate Kirby?" the ensign questioned.</p><p>"Yup, and that wasn't the only time. The most infamous and recent is the Cake Royale, where he made this thing called the Kirby Printer to make copies of Kirby to participate in the tournament. The winner of the tournament got this massive cake, hence the name. Boy, that whole thing was a riot, especially since it was several years in planning, he probably spent a majority of his fortune on it, and Meta Knight entered, which messed up his original plans for it." Taranza laughed to himself.</p><p>"You didn't stop him?" Ledo asked in response.</p><p>"Nope. Dedede's stubborn, so even if we did, he's probably going to do it anyway. The Cake Royale specifically was a train wreck. It went so horribly wrong for Dedede that you want to look away, but you can't." The ensign didn't know how to respond to that.</p><p>"Look! It's Taranza!" a female voice was heard from the other side of the bleachers. The young man turned to see a girl in a red hat and green smock running towards him with another girl flying next to her running towards the two of them.</p><p>"Taranza, do you know them?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"Oh, uh…yes, that's Adeleine and Ribbon. They stop by Castle Dedede once in a while." The spider mage commented.</p><p>"Oh! You must be Ledo!" the girl Taranza identified as Adeleine said.</p><p>"I do not think we've met before." The ensign replied.</p><p>"No, we haven't, but I've heard about you from Dedede! The one day he was talking about a white-haired soldier boy who started working for Meta Knight. Said things like he's really stubborn and kind of stuck-up, but actually pretty nice when you got to know him." Dedede said something nice about him? That was quite interesting.</p><p>"Oh, is that thing on your ear how you talk to your robot?" she added.</p><p>"Yes." He removed it and showed her.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I am Ensign Ledo's Autonomous</em> <em>Support Enlightenment Interface System. You may call me Chamber.</em></span>" The AI said.</p><p>"Wow, it's just as Dedede said! That's amazing!" the girl was amazed by this new sight.</p><p>"And Taranza said that you were Ribbon, correct?" He turned to the fairy.</p><p>"That's right! Kirby talked about you in a letter he sent me recently! It's nice to meet you!" she shook his hand.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Based on your wording, I believe that you two are Kirby's friends."</em> </span>Chamber said.</p><p>"Yup! We helped him on a few adventures as well!" Adeleine exclaimed. Ledo was unsure of how to go about this situation, usually Kirby was here to help move the conversation along, but here he was on his own. Well, Taranza was with him, but he was mostly on his own.</p><p>"Is something wrong?" Ribbon asked in concern.</p><p>"This is going to sound a bit strange, but this seems to be a pattern with everyone I met so far…" the young man sighed. "What is your crazy trait?" he directed it at Adeleine first.</p><p>"Me? Oh, I can paint things and they come to life." The girl replied straightforwardly.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Is that it?"</em> </span>Chamber commented.</p><p>"That's it."</p><p>He then turned to Ribbon.</p><p>"What about you?" she seemed to fidget a bit in response before replying "Me? I have this magic crystal and can fly!"</p><p>"Nothing else?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"Nope." Those responses shocked the young man.</p><p>"That's…not what I expected..." he uttered.</p><p>"Why not?" the artist questioned.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: have you met Kirby's other friends?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Oh." The girl hummed knowingly.</p><p>"I don't know, Marx seems pretty normal." Ribbon mumbled.</p><p>"Of all people, you choose Marx?!" the ensign began to exclaim until a voice came over the loudspeaker.</p><p>"The Megaton Punch tournament will begin in 5 minutes!"</p><p>"Ah! I should get ready!" Adeleine murmured to herself as she pulled out an easel.</p><p>"What's she doing?" the ensign asked.</p><p>"She wants to paint the winning punch." Ribbon explained. It seems he'll soon get the answer to his question about this tournament.</p><p>"Besides, I have to say that outside of the fact he seems to have a new hobby every week, Taranza is probably the most normal, followed by Bandana." Adeleine quickly added.</p><p>"…I'm right here you know…" the spider mage sighed.</p><hr/><p>A few minutes later, what appeared to be a talking microphone stood near the center of the arena.</p><p>"Gooood afternoon, citizens of Dreamland and welcome to the Whatever-Annual Megaton Punch Tournament, my name is Walky and I shall be your host for today's event!" he paused to let the audience applaud. "For those who have never had the privilege to see the Megaton Punch Tournament, the rules are simple! You punch through this block of concrete! Break them with the strongest punch to win!"</p><p>The rules for this event were more straightforward than Ledo expected.</p><p>"I know you all are not here to hear me talk, and this is one of the few times I will not be offended by that, because we have a tournament to start!" The crowd roared.</p><p>"Round One! In this corner is the hot-blooded spikey haired fighter, Knuckle Joe!" A young fighter jumped into the arena, bowing towards the audience. "And in this corner is the Hero of Popstar, known as "the Pink Devil" to his enemies, Kirby!"</p><p>Kirby jumped into the arena, the streams on his headband flowing behind him, and blew a few kisses into the audience. That riled up the crowd. The two competitors jumped on top of the blocks and readied themselves to punch the blocks.</p><p>"Now, as you can see, it takes the right balance of focus and strength to break the blocks!" The announcer speaking and the crowd cheering while the participants were concentrating seemed counterproductive to the young man and his AI. Suddenly, the person known as Knuckle Joe jumped into the air, punching down into the slab of concrete, breaking it and cracking the ground. Among the cheering crowd, Ledo felt the ground below him shake.</p><p>"Chamber, what was that?" he asked.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It seems to be some kind of earthquake, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"He caused an earthquake with his punch!?" the young man shouted.</p><p>The screen behind Walky lit up on Knuckle Joe's side, reading "175 Mt". "175 megatons! That's gonna leave quite a mark!"</p><p>A mark?</p><p>"Chamber! What's a megaton?!" just ask the ensign questioned that, Kirby punched his block.</p><p>That caused a massive jolt in the stands and a crack to open in the ground.</p><p>"Good Nova! What a punch! It seems that the Pink Devil is in top shape today! But I guess that's a requirement if you have to save the planet every other week!"</p><p>The screen on Kirby's side lit up with "184 Mt". "Did you see that folks!? 184 megatons! The winner of this round is Kirby!" The crowd roared. Knuckle Joe seemed to briefly wipe an eye before fist-bumping Kirby. Based on their behavior, the two of them are probably friends.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, I have looked through my database and have come up with the following: A megaton is a unit of measurement that describes the amount of energy released in an explosion or another highly destructive impact such as a meteor strike. According to the database, those two impacts were greater than that of hydrogen bombs, which were considered devastating weapons during the time before the Galactic Alliance existed." </em></span>Chamber spoke.</p><p>"And this is just from punching?!" Ledo shouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It appears so."</em> </span>
</p><p>The ground then quickly began to repair itself, surprising the young man further. This was too much to wrap his head around.</p><p>"Now that the ground has repaired, let us begin round two!" The talking microphone announced. "In this corner is the heavyweight hitter, Iron Mam!"</p><p>A heavily armored ball-person slammed into the ground. "And in this corner is, of course, Kirby!" The pink puff jumped into the arena again. The two competitors then took their places on top of two new blocks of concrete. The same pattern followed, with Iron Mam causing a giant earthquake upon breaking the block.</p><p>"186 megatons! Just a bit over Kirby's winning punch in the previous round! Can the Pink Devil pull through on this one?!"</p><p>There was a brief pause before Kirby punched the block, causing another massive earthquake.</p><p>"190 megatons! The Pink Devil wins again!"</p><p>"Taranza, is this even safe!?" Ledo shouted.</p><p>"Why do you think they only hold this tournament every five years?" That…made a lot of sense.</p><p>The ground reset and new concrete blocks were brought out.</p><p>Walky began to speak again "This is the final round, folks! In this corner is the winner of the previous tournament and advisor to King Dedede, Bandana Dee!"</p><p>The Waddle Dee stepped up to the block as he shyly adjusted his bandana. It seems he wasn't really used to having this much attention.</p><p>"And, in the other corner, Kirby!" The crowd applauded as Kirby jumped onto his concrete block.</p><p>"Wait, Bandana was the winner of the last tournament?" Ledo questioned.</p><p><em><span class="u">"I find that to be highly illogical considering Kirby's previously exhibited strength."</span> </em>Chamber commented.</p><p>Bandana stood normally, his body rising and falling as if taking deep breaths and then punched the block. That caused everyone in the stadium to jolt more than any of the previous punches did.</p><p>"Wow! That was a big one! 195 megatons! How will the Pink Devil respond? Will he be able to beat that or will it be a repeat of the previous tournament where he can barely make a dent?!"</p><p>After the microphone said that, the young man noticed Kirby twitch for a moment, as if disturbed by what he heard. He didn't move his position for several minutes.</p><p>"Folks, it seems like the Pink Devil has a problem! Could it be nervousness? Shyness? Or does the tournament five years ago still weigh heavily on his mind!? Who knows! Maybe he just loves the dramatic effect of pausing and…"</p><p>Walky was cut off by Kirby screaming as he jumped into the air and punched straight through the blocks into the ground. There was a massive earthquake that caused Ledo to almost fall off of the bleachers but was caught by the spider web Taranza created.</p><p>"Good Nova! What a punch! As expected from the Pink Devil! How big was that!?" The screen showed "201 Mt". "201 megatons! I don't believe it! The winner of this annual Megaton Punch Tournament is Kirby!" The crowd went wild as Kirby waved towards them. Bandana tackled him in a hug. The young man could only stare in awe.</p><p><em><span class="u">"</span><span class="u">Ensign Ledo, that punch was 201 megatons. According to my database, it was stronger than one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in recorded human history.</span>"</em> Chamber said.</p><p>There was no proper way for the young man to respond to that.</p><hr/><p>Shortly after the tournament, Kirby took Ledo to a tree on a hill to eat lunch with his friends. Bandana had brought a basket of sandwiches for the group and was now talking with Kirby, Ledo, and Knuckle Joe. Meanwhile, Taranza and Ribbon watched Adeleine put the finishing touches on her painting.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Ensign Ledo, incoming call from Magolor."</span> </em>Chamber suddenly said. The call was answered.</p><p>"Hello! Thanks for getting the seismic data! It was quite helpful!" the mage chirped. "Are you done translating yet?" the young man asked.</p><p>"Um…no. I need you to collect some more data." Ledo heaved a heavy sigh. "Oh, don't worry, you might be interested in this as well! I want you to do some studies on Kirby's copy ability!" Magolor replied.</p><p>"What does this have to do with the translations?" The young man grumbled.</p><p>"Combat studies." The mage replied. Fair enough.</p><p>"Very well." He hung up.</p><p>"Good to see you got back into the hang of things after the previous tournament, Kirby." Knuckle Joe laughed. "Yeah, but I do these things for fun." Kirby commented. "What happened at the previous tournament?" Ledo asked.</p><p>Bandana spoke up "Well…I won that tournament. At first, I was really happy about it, since I never won. In fact, I used to be the first opponent Kirby faced! But after several years of training to become stronger, I managed to beat Iron Mam!" the Dee looked proud of it. "But then I got a ton of attention for it and I couldn't stand being the center of everyone's attention!" The Waddle Dee covered his eyes, only showing a reddened face.</p><p>"People were probably like that because they heard you beat Kirby." Ledo added.</p><p>"That win had nothing to do with my skill!" The Dee shook his head.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I believe what the ensign means by that is that people may have only heard the part of the story where you won the tournament. If you won, that would mean that you defeated Kirby and they focused only on that aspect."</em></span> Chamber analyzed.</p><p>"That makes a lot of sense." Bandana Dee nodded.</p><p>"I can explain everything!" Kirby spoke up "The tournament five years ago was the same day I had a training session with Meta Knight. He had me training with the Fighter ability that day and I hurt my punching arm somehow during that. I don't really remember how, but that's not really important. I didn't think much of it at the time, but fast forward to the tournament, where I was actually surprised that Bandana was my final opponent. I had completed the last two rounds with no problems. I had only a tiny bit of pain in my arm, but no problems. Then, when I punched the block during the final round, I heard a loud cracking sound and my arm really, really hurt. I actually cried a bit!" the puff explained.</p><p>"Kirby, you were bawling when me and Bandana carried you out of the arena." Knuckle Joe mumbled.</p><p>"I'm sorry, it just really hurt!" the puff cried.</p><p>"So, Bandana won by default?" Taranza questioned.</p><p>"Yup. Turns out he actually sprained his arm during training and participating in the tournament made it worse." The Dee responded.</p><p>"Oh yeah, I remember that! Dedede let you stay at his castle!" Adeleine commented.</p><p>"Probably because I panicked and that was the first place I thought to take you that had a doctor…" Bandana laughed nervously.</p><p>"Honestly, I felt worse for Meta Knight, since he felt guilty for not noticing it earlier. I was also a bit angry at him over it...but Dedede let me stay at his castle for a few days!" Kirby added.</p><p>"Now, Kirby, you stay 'ere! But it's not 'cuz your my friend or anythin', I just can't let muh rival be taken down like this!" Knuckle Joe said, doing an impression of Dedede. That made the others laugh.</p><p>"Hey, Kirby, take a look at this!" Adeleine turned her canvas to show a beautiful painting of Kirby landing the final punch. "That's really pretty!" The puff smiled. "This is quite amazing for someone your age…" the young man uttered. "Thank you! I'm glad all of you like it!" The artist beamed. The call from the mage then entered the ensign's mind.</p><p>"Kirby, Magolor said he wanted me to do some studies on your copy ability." Ledo spoke up.</p><p>The pink puff smiled "Which one do you want to see?"</p><p>"He didn't say which ones." The young man replied.</p><p>"Then I'll just show you a bunch!" the child exclaimed before continuing "Right after I finish eating."</p><p>Everyone collectively rolled their eyes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Looking up what a Megaton is really puts into perspective how strong Kirby can be. 100Mt is the hypothetical measurement of one of Russia's prototype hydrogen bomb weapons. 200Mt is the measurement of Mt. Krakatoa's eruption, the second most destructive and deadliest volcanic eruption in recorded history. Science is fun.</p><p>And yes, sprains are awful. I sprained my ankle when I slipped on the stairs about two or three years ago and it was awful. I used to be able to faintly feel the pain if I did a ton of walking or running.</p><p>Also, I hope you readers don't mind the shift in separation style. I know I originally used the horizontal lines to indicate a change in perspective to keep the language barrier intact, but I think this would be easier to tell when I scene change happens or time passes. Let me know what you think.</p><p>The next chapter will be where the spoiler warning for Gargantia fully starts. One of the big plot twists in the series will be spoiled, so if you haven't finished watching the series, I recommend that you do so. If you don't care for spoilers, then disregard this.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. As the Stars Have Told Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 11: As the Stars Have Told Me</strong>
</p><p>Shortly after finishing his meal, Kirby stood up and began to stretch.</p><p>"What are you doing?" the ensign asked.</p><p>"Stretching to warm up. I'm gonna start by showing off this current ability! The ability I have right now is Fighter!"</p><p>"Oh, if that's the case, let me join in as well!" Knuckle Joe grinned as he began to stretch alongside him.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I first hypothesized that you did not need any additional warmups before using a copy ability, Kirby. It appears that I was wrong about that." </em></span>Chamber commented.</p><p>"You're not entirely wrong, but I still need to practice with my copy abilities to get better at using them. That's why I train with Meta Knight! By that logic, I should warm up before doing a ton of activity."</p><p>The ensign assumed that the actual reason was because he was afraid of spraining his arm again. What Kirby said about that incident did not sound like a fun experience.</p><p>Upon finishing their stretching, the two friends stood back-to-back, raising their fists in front of them. After a moment, the two began attacking the air simultaneously, shouting whatever moves they were doing as they performed them.</p><p>"VULCAN JAB! VULCAN JAB! SMASH PUNCH! LEG SWEEP! RISING BREAK! SKY KICK! MEGA FORCE BLAST!" It was mesmerizing how quickly and fluidly the attacks were performed in succession.</p><p>"That felt great! I knew we were still in sync!" the pink puff giggled, jumping up and down.</p><p>"There's always something satisfying about pulling that off!" Knuckle Joe agreed.</p><p>"So you were able to do all that because of that headband?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"This headband and several hours of practice, you want to try it?" the puff removed the headband, turning it into an ability item and holding it out towards his friend. The ensign then remembered the Megaton Punch tournament from earlier.</p><p>"Maybe later." He replied.</p><p>"Then hold on to this as a gift!" the child placed the band in his hand.</p><p>"Why are you giving it to me? I can't use it."</p><p>"Yeah, but you can wear it, can't you?"</p><p>"I guess that makes sense…" the ensign stashed it in his pocket.</p><p>"What ability do you want to see next?" Kirby continued.</p><p>"If Bio Spark was here, you could show him Ninja." Knuckle Joe commented.</p><p>The name sounded familiar. "Chamber, do you remember that name?" he suddenly asked.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"According to my data, Bio Spark was a person you met approximately eight days ago, Ensign. He identified himself as one of Kirby's friends." </em> </span>
</p><p>Ah, that's right.</p><p>"Huh, you met him already?! Why didn't he say anything about it?!" Knuckle Joe grumbled.</p><p>"Something about an exercise in keeping ninja clan secrets probably."</p><p>"I don't think that has anything to do with it. Bio's probably just weird."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: Are you part of that friend group Bio Spark mentioned?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Uh…yeah." He seemed to be in thought.</p><p>"Hey! How about I paint something that can give you an ability!" Adeleine exclaimed.</p><p>"Great idea!" Ribbon exclaimed while Kirby nodded.</p><p>"Can you start with something for Ninja, since Bio Spark isn't here?"</p><p>The artist nodded and painted a shuriken, which Kirby inhaled and swallowed. He transformed, gaining a purple cloth skullcap with a protector on his forehead. He threw a knife and nailed a leaf that had fallen from the tree. Everybody clapped quietly. This was followed by a puff of smoke, which he seemed to vanish behind.</p><p>"…where did he go?"</p><p>"ACK! THAT WAS MY DESSERT!" the young man turned to see that Kirby was now next to Knuckle Joe munching on something.</p><p>"Sorry, I had to show the smokescreen off somehow!"</p><p>"YOU LIAR, YOU JUST WANTED TO EAT SOMETHING!" Just as Knuckle Joe was about to punch him, he vanished.</p><p>"He's gone!?" Ledo uttered.</p><p>"Sorry about this!" Kirby reappeared behind Joe and performed an air drop.</p><p>"Ooooowwww… you couldn't have warned me?" he groaned.</p><p>"I said sorry!"</p><p>The ensign could only shake his head.</p><p>Just then, a flurry of leaves fell from the tree. Kirby charged forward with his katana, cutting them apart the moment he sheathed it. The others applauded. To finish, the puff summoned a storm of cherry blossoms. The clapping continued until Kirby dropped the ability, turning it into a star, and breaking it on the ground.</p><p>"Which ability do you want to see next?"</p><p>"That star you broke, is that what holds your ability?"</p><p>"Yup. If I inhale it I can get the ability back. It usually breaks after a short time, but it's quicker if I do that. Also, my ability can be dropped if I get hit enough."</p><p>"Fascinating."</p><p>"So, what ability?"</p><p>"I don't know all your abilities, Kirby."</p><p>"Well, what do you want to see? Fire? Ice? Cutter? Leaf? Water? What?"</p><p>"I don't know."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign, might I recommend having Adeleine decide?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Very well."</p><p>He turned to the artist, who nodded in understanding. She then painted a red beret and tossed it towards Kirby. When he transformed, he gained a red paint-covered beret with a star on it. In his stubs, he clutched a paintbrush.</p><p>"What ability is this?"</p><p>"Artist, of course!"</p><p>Kirby pulled out an easel and painted a picture of King Dedede on it.</p><p>"…what's that supposed to do?" the ensign asked.</p><p>The painting of Dedede walked off the canvas, to his surprise, hammering in front of itself absentmindedly.</p><p>"Heh. It's like the actual Dedede!" Knuckle Joe laughed.</p><p>"That's not all!" The puff quickly pulled out a giant slab of rock and carved it into a giant flowered vine.</p><p>"Ah! That's the Dreamstalk!" Taranza shouted.</p><p>"Dreamstalk?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe Taranza mentioned it last time we were at Dedede's castle</em>." </span>
</p><p>"Ah. Now I remember. It's that giant vine with a flower on it, right?" The spider mage stared at the ensign in annoyance before summoning a Dreamstalk replica out of the ground. "Yes, that's it!"</p><p>Bandana Dee stared up at the sculpture. "What are you going to do with that, Kirby?"</p><p>Kirby shrugged.</p><p>"You wanna see how far I can kick it?" Knuckle Joe readied his stance.</p><p><em><span class="u">"I do not comprehend what the point of such an unnecessary action would be."</span> </em>Chamber spoke as the pink puff tossed the statue in the air.</p><p>Knuckle Joe followed suit, delivering a roundhouse kick that sent it far over the horizon. "Who cares what the point of it was? Not everything has to have a logical reason to happen y'know!" the fighter proudly grinned. The statue was so far away at this point that it could no longer be seen.</p><p>Kirby readied his brush again. "PAINBRUSH!" he yelled, splattering paint while dropping the ability. "That was a lot of fun!" he exclaimed, stretching his body.</p><p>"What do you think he should show Ledo next?" Ribbon asked.</p><p>Adeleine paused for a moment to think, before snapping her fingers. She painted a Needlous, which looked like a spiny, striped worm to the ensign. Just as the Needlous jumped off the canvas, it was grabbed by a long, pink tongue and pulled up into the tree above them. It was a bit startling, to say the least.</p><p>"WH-WHAT WAS THAT!?" Taranza hid behind Bandana Dee.</p><p>"How could I have let my guard down so easily?!" Ledo grumbled as he quickly pulled out his pistol, pointing it into the treetop. "I know you're up there! Come down with your hands up!"</p><p>There was no response.</p><p>"Don't worry about it, Ledo." Kirby smiled.</p><p>However, the young man couldn't help but worry about it. He swore that he saw something up there. Even now, he had the vague feeling that he was being watched. He slowly lowered his pistol as Kirby walked back and inhaled another Needlous that Adeleine painted, gaining a pink helmet with spikes upon swallowing it.</p><p>"What copy ability is this?"</p><p>"This is needle!" he extended the spikes to show off the ability.</p><p>"Doesn't that hurt?" Ledo questioned.</p><p>"Should it hurt?"</p><p>"It shouldn't because he's wearing a hat." Bandana commented.</p><p>Suddenly a heavy object landed beside Bandana causing both him and Taranza to scream and run behind Ledo, already preparing to shoot at it. Staring back at them was a navy-blue googly-eyed blob with a long tongue.</p><p>"…Chamber, what is that thing?" the ensign uttered.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Cannot identify. Reasonable course of action: use caution when interacting with it or dispose of it immediately."</em> </span>
</p><p>The blob then grabbed the ensign's pistol and ate it.</p><p>"You… you son of a…!" the young man began to yell before Kirby stepped in.</p><p>"Hey, Gooey! Give Ledo back his pistol!" The blob then spit it back up. Ledo stared, unsure if he really wanted to touch it now.</p><p>"Can you appear without trying to scare us?!" Bandana shouted in anger.</p><p>"I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" Taranza added.</p><p>"Gooey apologizes." The blob replied.</p><p>"Is this a friend of yours, Kirby?" the young man sighed.</p><p>"Yup!" the child smiled.</p><p>"And his name is Gooey?"</p><p>"Gooey's name is Gooey! Maybe?" the blob commented.</p><p>The young man nodded; his expression unchanging. "He's…not that bright, is he?"</p><p>"What's bright? Can Gooey eat it? What's eating?" the blob continued to have a blank, smiling expression on his face.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Query: What is Gooey exactly?"</em> </span>Chamber spoke.</p><p>"Gooey is Gooey!" Kirby said brightly.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "That does not answer my question." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Gooey thinks, therefore Gooey am."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "That still does not answer the question." </em> </span>
</p><p>"You don't happen to know what Dark Matter is, do you?" Bandana uttered in annoyance. The back and forth nature of the conversation seemed to be getting on his nerves.</p><p>"The mysterious substance that causes galaxy rotations and cluster motions in space?" Ledo replied.</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Taranza questioned.</p><p>"This is a different Dark Matter! This one works with this thing called Zero to invade and take over planets! Gooey similar to Dark Matter, but um…Meta Knight said a lot of complicated stuff...something about a fragment of Dark Matter being infused with a ton of Positive Energy… but that's how Gooey came to be, I think." Kirby seemed partially unsure of Gooey's origin himself.</p><p>"What is positive energy?"</p><p>"Positive energy is the energy that comes from positive emotions like happiness and gratitude. Dark Matter and Zero are drawn to negative emotions like anger, hate, and envy. People that give off a lot of those energies are more likely to be possessed by them, I think. At least that's what Meta Knight said, I fell asleep during one of his lectures on that." The pink puff explained.</p><p>"Is that why Dedede is their go-to?" the spider mage asked.</p><p>"Probably."</p><p>"How interesting." The ensign uttered.</p><p>"Speaking of Dedede, he's probably wondering where we are, so Bandana and I should probably head back now."</p><p>The Dee nodded in agreement and they exchanged goodbyes.</p><hr/><p>After Taranza and Bandana Dee left, the remaining group continued the copy ability study.</p><p>"Ribbon, do you want to decide on the next one?" Adeleine asked.</p><p>"How about Sword?"</p><p>Kirby and Ledo both looked at her with a thousand-yard stare.</p><p>"…pass."</p><p>"Huh? But I thought you liked using Sword?"</p><p>"Another time…"</p><p>"Okay…"</p><p>The pink puff likely still was shaken by his experience the previous week with his mentor. Based on how that experience was described, the young man could understand that.</p><p>"How about Fire then?"</p><p>"Isn't that dangerous to use in the middle of a grassy field!?" the ensign shouted.</p><p>"Gooey can show it off!" a flaming blob whizzed by the young man before stopping next to Kirby.</p><p>"Impressive."</p><p>"I got one!" Adeleine painted a yo-yo, which Kirby inhaled. He gained a backwards baseball cap and a bandage.</p><p>"What ability is this?"</p><p>"Yo-yo!" he threw the yo-yo in front of him.</p><p>"Is that all it can do?"</p><p>"No, I can do a bunch of other moves!" The puff took a running start and spun on his head across the round. "BREAK SPIN!" upon finishing the break spin, he spun the yo-yo on the ground in a circle around himself. Upon finishing that move, he winded up the yo-yo and spun it on the ground in front of him and walked a bit.</p><p>"That's called "walking the dog"! It's a move I was recently taught!"</p><p>"What's a dog?"</p><p>"That's not important, watch!" The puff spun up in the air, using his yo-yo to propel him up. "GAZER SPIRAL!"</p><p>The ability was strangely mesmerizing to the young man.</p><p>The puff then grabbed a rock and slammed it into the ground "HAMMER DROP!".</p><p>"Yeah, that's a bunch of fancy moves, but I don't think anything can beat a good ol' thrashing!" Knuckle Joe mumbled.</p><p>"I think all my abilities are fun!" Kirby exclaimed as he dropped his ability. "Hey! You know what I should show him!? Microphone!"</p><p>"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" Ledo was confused as to why Knuckle Joe was suddenly yelling.</p><p>"Yeah, how about we don't do Mic?" Adeleine stammered nervously.</p><p>"Aw, but I wanted to sing for him!"</p><p>"You can do that normally and somewhere else!"</p><p>"But I want to sing now!"</p><p>"Do it somewhere else! Are you trying to kill us?!"</p><p>Based on the reactions of the others, the ensign assumed that Microphone was a dangerous ability because Kirby was not good at singing.</p><p>Just then, the tree began to shake and a yellow and black striped…thing dropped out of the tree, landing next to Kirby.</p><p>"AH! EW! EW! EW!" the puff ran behind Ledo in panic.</p><p>"…Chamber, what is that?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It appears to be some kind of larvae."</em> </span>
</p><p>"It's gross, that's what!" Gooey stared at the bug on the ground and ate it. "Ah! Thanks, Gooey!" The navy-blue blob only continued to smile.</p><p>"Geez, you'd think that someone as powerful as you would've gotten over their hate of caterpillars..." Knuckle Joe sighed.</p><p>"But they're disgusting and icky!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I find your thought process to be highly illogical, Kirby."</em> </span>
</p><p>"No one asked you!" The pink puff was pouting in his usual childish manner. Knuckle Joe and Chamber both had a point. The ensign couldn't understand how someone who would become friends with just about anyone and won against several all-powerful beings hated something as small and insignificant as caterpillars.</p><p>"Well, enough worrying about that, what ability do you want to show off next, Kirby?" Ribbon asked.</p><p>"Hm… how about UFO!" Adeleine nodded and began to paint.</p><p>"UFO?"</p><p>"It's an ability that's really rare, but it's also really fun!" he swallowed the silver disk-like object that had been painted and started floating around in a saucer.</p><p>"So…what does it do?" Kirby floated over to a piece of broken rock and beamed it up.</p><p>"Is that all it can do?"</p><p>"Nope, I can do several different laser attacks based on how long I charge it!"</p><p>"Interesting."</p><p>As Kirby began to show off the various types of beams, the young man began to think. It was starting to get late, but Ledo still didn't hear anything from Magolor. Now would probably be a good time to call him to ask about that.</p><p>"Chamber, call Magolor."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Roger." </em> </span>
</p><p>In a few minutes, the mage answered the call.</p><p>"Oh, hello Ledo! I see that things are going smoothly with your copy ability studies!" he exclaimed in his usual cheerful tone. It sounded as if he was oblivious to the actual reason he could be calling.</p><p>"Magolor, have you finished translating that data yet?" he questioned in an annoyed tone. The mage hesitated to answer. A sure sign that he was hiding something.</p><p>"No, it's still being worked on. Don't worry about it! I'll tell you when it's done! But I don't think it's that important, so it was a false alarm!" Upon hearing that last part, Ledo began to suspect that Magolor wasn't telling the whole truth about the data.</p><p>"Chamber, can you send what you two have completed so far to me?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I cannot, ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Of course you can't! You said "do not tell the ensign" when we were done…" there was a sound as if Magolor had covered his own mouth. The young man's instinct appeared to be spot-on.</p><p>"Kirby, I have to go." There was something noticeably cold about the way he said it. "CHAMBER!" In a few minutes, the mech landed close to the hill he was standing on.</p><p>"Ledo, is something wrong?"</p><p>"I just have to go talk to Magolor about something."</p><p>"Ok…well…um…bye!" the puff waved. It wasn't his normal happy wave, but one with an element of concern in it.</p><p>"See you." As the ensign entered Chamber's cockpit, he felt a storm brewing inside of him.</p><p>What reason could Magolor have to lie about the data translation progress?!</p><hr/><p>"O-oh, hello, Ledo, welcome…ACK!" the ensign grabbed his collar and glared directly into his eyes.</p><p>"You finished the translation and didn't tell me?!"</p><p>"…maybe?"</p><p>"ANSWER ME!"</p><p>"Y-yes! I did!"</p><p>"Why did you hide it from me!?"</p><p>"I-I don't think anything good will come of seeing it…"</p><p>"What do you mean?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The information on that is considered classified to the Galactic Alliance of humankind."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then why did you allow Magolor to see it?!"</p><p>Magolor vanished from Ledo's hands, reappearing a short distance away from him. "Well, you told me to translate it, didn't you? I can't do that if I don't see it, silly!" the mage dusted himself off. He had a point.</p><p>"Then why can't I see it?"</p><p><span class="u"><em>"It is protocol."</em></span> The ensign could feel the desire to punch something well up within him.</p><p>"What do you mean?! Do you remember where we are?! When contact with the main unit is interrupted, the highest-ranking officer on site has the right to command! Right?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"And who is the highest-ranking officer on site?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then Ensign Ledo orders Pilot Support Enlightenment Interface System Chamber to allow for the release of this data now!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Roger. The data is on the Lor Starcutter's computer."</em> </span>
</p><p>The ensign nodded, but just as he stepped forward to the Lor's console, four spikes blocked him.</p><p>"…Magolor." He slowly glared at the mage.</p><p>"Does the phrase "ignorance is bliss" mean anything to you?" the mage seemed to smirk.</p><p>"You're saying I'm better off not knowing what's on this data?"</p><p>"Bra-vo! That is correct!" Magolor gave a mock applause towards the ensign. "I'm such a nice guy, so I thought I'd keep you from reading what's on that data! You can thank me later!" he hummed pleasantly.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Magolor, I've given the ensign permission to see the data."</em></span> Upon hearing Chamber speak, the mage sighed in annoyance.</p><p>"You heard. Show me the data or I'll force you to." The ensign ordered.</p><p>Annoyed, the mage lowered the spikes and floated towards the console. "I'm not in the mood to fight you right now…" he grumbled while typing in a few keystrokes. "Chamber, let me go on record saying that I warned him about this."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Roger." </em> </span>
</p><p>With one final key press, a video began to play on the screen.</p><hr/><p>The video was clear, but somewhat glitchy due to age. This was likely the best Magolor and Chamber could restore it to through their collaborative effort. It started with a woman talking. It reminded Ledo of the news broadcasts he watched with Sailor Dee on Channel PPP, as the woman was surrounded by text reading things like "The future is now" and "can we migrate into space?". "The time has come for the human race to start walking on its own two legs, and the person who has volunteered to take that first step is Ryan Matsumoto. Good evening, Mr. Matsumoto. People say that this mission is a dangerous one." She turned to a man sitting in a chair. "Well, that's because it's never been done before. Thankfully, we have a wonderful staff backing us up, so with their help this mission should go…"</p><p>The footage cut to three people standing in front of a building. A man and a woman were holding a ribbon that was cut by an older man. The older man began to talk into a microphone he was handed. "Now that the fifth ice age is almost upon us, the necessity of our research has reached a critical level." There was an overhead shot of a massive white building. As the man continued to talk, it also showed various facilities, likely showing what was inside the lab. "However, history has shown us that these scientific developments could destroy old traditions and ruin people's happiness. We fear that this is the case right now. However, tradition has actually changed along with scientific advances, and happiness may now become attainable for the very first time! I take this as the opportunity to now announce a free citadel of science!"</p><p>The footage then cut to a large mass of people standing around with white flakes pouring down. They were wearing coats and held signs with unknown writing on them. "The activities of the Self-Evolving Movement, AKA the Evolvers, are drawing attention from all over the world, are they not?" "It's a very unfortunate circumstance." It cut to the same old man in the previous footage talking with another man in what he thought was a newsroom. "What about doubts over the human genome manipulation? Doesn't that violate the treaties?" "Solving this problem requires a far more flexible response. The current protocols are no longer working. I believe that current international regulations are completely obsolete."</p><p>The footage then again cut to a city being buried in white particles. "As a response to Earth's extreme global cooling, there are rising calls for the immediate development of space travel. The development of a space station and an interstellar immigration ship is increasing at a rapid pace. This technology is essential to our species survival. It's not perfect by any means. We won't just be sending machines into space, but humans like you and me."</p><p>There was another footage cut. This time, to another man. "Since last week's shocking leak of insider information became public, the worldwide movement opposing the Evolvers has stepped up." The program then showed footage of older machines such as airplanes and ships. "The continental union did not wait for a response from the United Nations before deploying an aerial fleet. Meanwhile, there are a great number of countries that stand by the Evolvers. The situation is expected to escalate." The footage continued with various locations, including the lab he saw in earlier footage, exploding from the attacks.</p><p>It then changed to yet another news report, this time showing a lady talking over a presentation of space travel. "And so, the immigrants searched for a viable planet, which would've taken hundreds or even thousands of years. There was only one way to salvage the situation." Two models of DNA appeared. "They applied mechanical engineering to biology and by doing that, they made the human body able to adapt to the vacuum of space and travel long distances over a vast amount of time."</p><p>There was yet another cut to more footage that took place inside one of the labs shown earlier. It focused on a man sitting in a lab chair, as if preparing for a treatment. "The symbiont is a marvelous invention." A video of white squids, recognized by Ledo as the Hideauze, played as the man spoke. "It can breathe oxygen underwater and withstand the water pressure of the deep sea. Eventually, I'm sure it'll adapt to the vacuum of space. It gets nutritional support from symbiotic nanomachines that are a more efficient version of photosynthesis." He turned to wave towards a woman and a young girl behind him. "We have to say bye-bye to papa..." the woman said as the girl had a shell-shocked expression. Shortly after, she turned to who seemed to be her mother. "Papa is going away?" "No, we'll be able to…"</p><p>The footage cut to the same newsrooms he saw earlier. "Last week, the controversial evolvers were under fire again when their internal information involving recruiting was leaked and it became clear that a number of atrocious human experiments violating international law had taken place." The mouth of the Hideauze being filmed began to show a human face.</p><p>All of this information horrified Ledo, but he just couldn't look away from the video.</p><p>It cut again. This video took place in space and showed two astronauts taking a third space suit out into space. The back of the suit opened, and a human-like form exited. It was the man from two videos ago, now turned into what appeared to be a human-squid hybrid.</p><p>This further sent the ensign into shock.</p><p>The human in the video began to glow from sunlight as the other humans seemingly rejoiced.</p><p>Another news report came on. "While earth's sustainable humanosphere is rapidly decreasing due to the cooling trend, the Continental Union and Evolver's war to escape is inversely increasing. The battlefield for this is in orbit and at floating launch facilities, but it's believed that it will expand."</p><p>Another cut to more footage. "We've discovered that the Continental Union is working on a large-scale wormhole drive. This facility also includes a self-destruct system, which will activate upon them leaving the solar system. This will strand everyone else on Earth. However, we are now aware of their plan." As this speech happened, a large Hideauze colony could be seen. "This is our chance! By attacking and seizing the wormhole drive for ourselves, we Evolvers will be able to spread the domain of the living to unknown galaxies! The Evolvers will dwell in infinite space and achieve eternal prosperity!"</p><p>That footage then cut to a human diver in a water tank interacting peacefully with a human-like Hideauze creature. The Hideauze creature appeared to show joy around the diver. The name tag in the video read "Elaine Matsumoto".</p><p>The young man then recalled that the man in the first video he was was named "Ryan Matsumoto". Could they be related?</p><p>The video then cut off.</p><hr/><p>"This was everything that was found and that we could salvage." Magolor said, returning the screen to its normal state.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I noted several contradictions with official information from the Galactic Alliance. I believe the credibility is extremely low."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then what was that?! Who made it and for what purpose?!" Ledo directed this at his own AI.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Hypothesis: the enemy created it to manipulate information."</em> </span>
</p><p>The ensign gritted his teeth. "The enemy!? What enemy?! I thought the Hideauze were just a lower form of life!"</p><p>The young man stared at the floor, feeling as if he is becoming more and more lightheaded. What was that phrase Trident Knight had told him? Curiosity killed the Scarfy? He felt that he was experiencing its true meaning at full force.</p><p>"Hmmm?" The mage smugly murmured behind him. "What did I tell you? Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? But you decided that your stubborn…er …pride? Yes, let's go with pride… was more important, and now you have the shocking truth behind…"</p><p>Before he could finish his sentence, Ledo collapsed to the floor, unresponsive.</p><p>"HOLY NOVA! LEDO!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another short chapter it seems. This time, I went through with my "Gargantia spoilers in later chapters" warning, since this was one of the biggest twists in the anime. Of course, this will affect later chapters as well.</p><p>There was no particular reason for why I selected each ability that was showcased. I might have an omake chapter dedicated to showing off more abilities in the future.</p><p>Omake (Bonus):</p><p>C: What exactly is Gooey?</p><p>G: Gooey is Gooey! Maybe?</p><p>C: Affirmative, but what exactly are you?</p><p>G: Gooey does not know.</p><p>C: Searching database...no matches found. Analyzing...</p><p>(Chamber gets a blue screen)</p><p>L: Chamber? Chamber?! CHAMBERRRRRRRR!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Bonds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 12: Bonds</strong>
</p><p>What he saw horrified him.</p><p>He stepped onto Chamber's hand, now covered in the dead corpses of the Hideauze. He replayed visions of a previous battle against the Hideauze. However, the more he began to fight them, the more they began to look human. It was sickening, as if he was being taunted and called a murderer. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't. It was a helpless feeling, like he wasn't in control of his own body, but merely the passenger. It ate away at his soul.</p><hr/><p>That was when Ledo's eyes shot open and he sat up, panting. He looked around to see that he was in his room on the Halberd. Magolor must have brought him back while he was unconscious. Suddenly, memory of the nightmare he awoke from flashed through his mind, causing him to vomit into a nearby trash can. There was nothing but bile, likely since he hadn't eaten anything since…wait, what time is it? The sky outside seemed like it was the transition to evening…has he been unconscious since late in the afternoon?! It didn't take long for his concern about the time to fade away. He felt so…numb. Not just numb, but he felt like something was eating away at his soul. All he could do was just lay on his bed and stare at the ceiling. When he became tired of that, he began to dully watch videos on the Galactic Alliance through Chamber. All of it felt like propaganda. That was when he heard a knock at the door.</p><p>"Ensign Ledo, Chamber told me that you're awake. I'd like to talk to you." it was Meta Knight.</p><p>"If it's about neglecting my duties, I just don't feel like working!" he snapped towards the door.</p><p>There was no response, as if the knight was stunned by that response. He heard a heavy sigh.</p><p>"I know my approach is usually very hands-off and I might not be the easiest person for you to speak to but…" the knight paused for a moment, as if he was trying to think of the right words "I thought I'd let you know that you can talk to me if you're having problems." There was a bit of awkwardness in his tone, as if this was something he wasn't used to saying.</p><p>Then he walked away.</p><hr/><p>"Is he awake?" Captain Vul questioned when Meta Knight returned to the bridge.</p><p>"He is. But he's clearly not doing well." He slipped a lemon drop under his mask before returning the small jar to his cape subspace.</p><p>"Could say the same for yourself."</p><p>"Perhaps."</p><p>There was silence as they watched the orange seas from the front of the bridge.</p><p>"So, what are you going to do?" His superior hesitated to answer.</p><p>"I told him he could talk to me if he was having problems, but I don't think he'll take the offer."</p><p>"After what he saw, probably not." The avian captain scratched his beard.</p><p>When Magolor brought the unconscious Ledo back two hours ago, he showed Meta Knight and Vul the data. He also constantly emphasized that he warned Ledo not to look at it, but that was likely because he was afraid of being blamed for it.</p><p>"Yeah, I knew there was something fishy about those Alliance bastards." The captain grumbled.</p><p>"I had my own suspicions about them, but this confirms that they are not to be trusted."</p><p>Actually, it wasn't just the Alliance he didn't trust. The so-called Evolver's use of illegal human experimentation forced his mind to recall the incident with the Haltmann Works Company.</p><p>Vul couldn't help but stare in horror as he saw Meta Knight shove a handful of lemon drops into his mouth, briefly shuddering in response to the burst of sour taste before storing the jar back in his subspace.</p><p>"Don't you think that's too many?"</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>It was clear that the ensign needed help fast.</p><hr/><p>Ledo sat limply against the wall on his bed, staring solemnly at the floor. The communicator he used for Chamber sat loosely in his hand. He could hear a few noises approaching his door.</p><p>"Hey! Where are you going!? I didn't give you permission to-!"</p><p>"I don't need no permission! I'm the king! I go where I want!"</p><p>"This is my battleship!"</p><p>"What part of "I'm the king and I go where I want" don'cha get?!"</p><p>"Great King, this is the room, I think."</p><p>"At least knock before you…"</p><p>There was a slam on the side of the door, opening it to show King Dedede standing there.</p><p>"Nova dammit, Dedede, please more careful…" the knight uttered from behind him. The ensign looked at the king out of the corner of his eye.</p><p>Dedede pointed finger guns towards him "What's up, you depressed bastard?!" There was no reaction. "…crap, that wasn't the right thing to say, was it?" he stepped further into the room, being followed by Bandana Dee.</p><p>"I've seen better room reading ability from a coat rack." The knight sighed from the door.</p><p>"Coat racks can't talk!"</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>"Please! This isn't the time to argue!" Bandana yelled from in between them. The two parties sighed in acknowledgement. Bandana Dee was right.</p><p>It was at that moment someone else came running from down the hall.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight! We need you at the entrance to the Halberd now! We have a troubling situation!" it sounded like it was Sailor Dee.</p><p>"What is it now…?" he grumbled, seemingly turning towards Dedede "I'll be back in a bit." He then flew off, closing the door and leaving Ledo with only Dedede and Bandana Dee.</p><p>"Um…Great King…should I?" the Dee began before he was shushed by the king.</p><p>"Oi, Ledo." The monarch said. No reaction. "If you are that worried, I give you permission to gaze upon my brilliance!" he exclaimed almost smugly. Nothing. "Ugh, not even a sarcastic comment?" He stepped closer to the bed, attempting to make eye contact. "Oi, princess." Still nothing. "Daaaaamn, this is super serious if you're not even gonna react to that." He crossed his arms, trying to think of how to get a reaction out of him. "Um…Ledo, do you mind if we borrow Chamber for a bit?" Silence. "Hey tin can, can we borrow ya for a bit?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Use of equipment outside missions requires the ensign's authorization." </em> </span>
</p><p>"So, we could then?"</p><p>"…I don't care."</p><p>"Ah! Great King! He spoke!"</p><p>Dedede laughed as he ruffled the young man's hair, to no reaction. "Alright, now for actual business." The king raised Ledo's head to look him in the eyes, pausing for a moment in surprise upon noticing his eyes were a bit duller than he remembered them being. "Mags called and told us that something ain't right with you. There's two ways we can go about this, the easy way an' the hard way. The easy way is you just tellin' me. The hard way is me forcing it out of you. Now, which is it going to be?" The young man stared back in silence.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe I may be able to…" </em> </span>
</p><p>"No need, Chamber…I'll do it." Ledo averted his eyes as he responded.</p><hr/><p>The knight had to act quickly. He didn't really trust Dedede to make this whole situation better, considering the fact that he rarely uses his brain-to-mouth filter. Upon approaching the entrance ramp, he could see the Meta Knights crowded in front of it, as if they were attempting to block someone off. He stowed his wings, turning them back into a cape and walked the rest of the way. As he approached, he began to recognize a particular scent made up of peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and disinfectant. There was only one person he knew that had that particular scent, and that made this situation even more dire.</p><p>"Allow me through." He said to Javelin Knight, who allowed him to the front.</p><p>It was a Bio Clan ninja, clad in dark green.</p><p>His suspicions were correct.</p><p>"Head Nurse Bio Gale, return to your station." He ordered.</p><p>"I have been told someone on this ship is ill. It is my duty as a doctor to see that they are cured." She replied coldly.</p><p>"Which one of you let her on the ship?" he sharply asked his subordinates.</p><p>"I'm sorry, sir! She said she'd dunk my head in a bucket of peroxide!" Sword Knight replied.</p><p>"Kirby notified me." She pointed to the pink puff standing behind her. He was clearly concerned.</p><p>Meta Knight shook his head. Bio Gale was a hell of a nurse, but she always swore that she would cure a patient even if it killed them. In other words, the last thing that Ledo needed right now.</p><p>"Head Nurse, this is a mental illness. Something you can't easily cure."</p><p>"If it's insomnia, I have tranquilizers."</p><p>"It is not insomnia and that is not the proper treatment of it!"</p><p>The other problem with her is that she tends to be hard to reason with, to the point where one would need infinite patience to do so. Normally, Meta Knight would have that, but now is not that time.</p><p>At this point, there seemed to be only one solution.</p><p>"OW! MY ARM!"</p><p>"Axe Knight?!" he turned around to see his subordinate holding his own arm.</p><p>"What are you doing?" he whispered.</p><p>"Taking one for the team." He then continued "OH NOVA! IT HURTS!"</p><p>Meta Knight was slightly unsure if it would work for a moment until he saw Bio Gale get a targeting look in her eyes, like a predator homing in on their desired prey. It was the usual look she'd have upon hearing that there was a patient.</p><p>"Oh? An arm injury? We should take a look at that." she murmured, grabbing Axe Knight's other arm and dragging him off.</p><p>Everyone at the entrance saluted as he was dragged into the base.</p><p>"Nova speed, you glorious bastard. Nova speed." Trident Knight said while Meta Knight covered his student's ears.</p><p>The student and mentor then began to walk into the ship. "Meta-sensei, what's wrong with Ledo?"</p><p>"He's not in the best mindset right now."</p><p>"I know, when I was showing him some of my copy abilities, he just suddenly said he had to go talk to Magolor about something before leaving and then when I went to check on him, he said that he brought him back here! Can you tell me what's wrong with him?"</p><p>"It's a long story…but…" he paused for a moment to slip another lemon drop under his mask.</p><hr/><p>"Huh? You're starting to question your existence now that you found out the truth 'bout them Hideauze things?" Dedede asked.</p><p>Ledo nodded "What am I doing here? What is my purpose? For whose sake am I living? When did it begin? When I woke up beneath these foreign skies? When I first got into Chamber? Or when I first came into the world? These are all the thoughts I've been having…"</p><p>"Geez, some pretty heavy stuff then." The monarch scratched the back of his head.</p><p>Ledo silently continued to burn holes in the Hideauze claw.</p><p>"Look, I'm prolly the last guy ya wanna hear this from, but don't worry about all that existential stuff. You were born the day you were born, and you started living the day you were born. Simple as that."</p><p>The ensign stopped what he was doing.</p><p>"I don't think it can be that simple, Great King." Bandana commented.</p><p>"Maybe, but the point is shutting everybody out's just gonna hurt him more! Besides, he shouldn't worry about it anymore, since he said that's happenin' in another dimension it ain't his problem anymore."</p><p>Visions of the videos and nightmares flashed back through Ledo's head, causing his hands to tremble and drop the claw he had been working on. He threw his pistol on the ground, and buried his face in his hand, trembling as his breathing grew heavy. Dedede silently sat next to him and placed the young man's head on his shoulder. He expected a comment, but there was none. That was when the door to his room opened and he felt himself be tackled from his left side. He slowly gazed over to see that it was Kirby.</p><p>"Everything will be fine…" the puff sounded like he was trying to keep himself from crying.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign. I have received further data from Magolor. While retrieving the data, he has discovered some information that confirms that the Hideauze are the result of augmented human evolution."</em> </span>Chamber spoke up, causing Ledo to jump off his bed in anger.</p><p>"Why are you telling me that?! That just means I've been fighting a whole war that was completely pointless!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Your understanding is logically unsound."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Oi, tin can, shut your trap!"</p><p>"If the Hideauze were evolved humans, why should I have been fighting them!? If there's no reason to do so, I can't…I can't kill those living beings…" he collapsed to the floor.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Unacceptable." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Ya want me to turn you into scrap metal, tin can?!"</p><p>"Let him speak." The knight halted him.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Your understanding denies both your existence and mine." </em> </span>
</p><p>"You saw the video, right?! Mankind is fighting against itself in that dimension! That's the truth!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"That does not warrant a cession of the Hideauze's annihilation."</em> </span>
</p><p>"For you, maybe, but to me…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative, preventing the extinction of the human race was your only mission."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber, just shut up! I'm sick of the Alliance's propaganda!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative, my parallel link to the Alliance has been severed. This is the conclusion I have drawn from my own available data. Mankind and the Hideauze will never come to an understanding because they have rejected civilization itself. If mankind had exoskeletons like the Hideauze, there would be no need for them to develop Machine Calibers. My system is a product of mankind's knowledge and necessity to augment their weak bodies. It is surmised that mankind advanced their intellect and founded civilization to overcome their own limitations. It means that mankind stands at the apex of all creation."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Yeah, the hell that got to do with us?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"However, the Hideauze have abandoned all of this for the sake of satisfying their own well-being and desires as a biological creature. Such things do not require a high level of intelligence. Machine Calibers are the only way for mankind to remain itself. We are the result of pure knowledge given birth by civilization. This is the same knowledge abandoned by the Hideauze, turning them into the culmination of biological beings."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Who cares!?"</p><p>"Meta-sensei, what's he saying?"</p><p>"…I believe that he is saying that the Hideauze are the ultimate lifeforms."</p><p>"He has the nerve to say that after meeting Kirby!?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Of course, I am referring to the original dimension the ensign and I have come from. If we are to return, ensign, you must fight with me for the dignity of mankind. In a conflict where creatures are fundamentally the same, defeat is the same as annihilation. Ultimately, it is a battle where the loser will fall prey to natural selection. If you wish to survive, you have no choice." </em> </span>
</p><p>"…so, you're compelling me to fight if we return? You, a machine, are telling me, a human, what to do?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am but an interface system that supports and oversees the development of pilots. I exist solely to set you up for success."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then let me remind you that YOU SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT THIS ANYMORE 'CUZ YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT DIMENSION!" Dedede's yelling caused the others in the room to stumble over. "Look, here, tin can, you're all like "civilization this" and "natural selection that", but ya keep forgetting that all this don't matter anymore 'cuz you an' Ledo ain't going back! Why am I the one saying this!?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe that this conversation is relevant to the current situation."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Wha?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"Query: would you be able to fight if it was to defend this planet, ensign</em>?" Ledo, who had picked himself up to a kneeling position, froze upon hearing that. <em>"I recall that Kirby has talked about defeating beings such as Nightmare, Dark Matter, Zero, Sectonia, Haltmann, and several other beings that one could argue would create a situation similar to the Hideauze and humans. What would you do if you were required to defeat them?"</em></span>
</p><p>He paused. "Wait…but isn't there a difference…they clearly are…" his eyes began to widen in realization, before he simply looked down at the floor. "I don't know…" That was the only answer he could give. The more he tried to justify defeating them, the more he began to feel like a hypocrite, especially when he remembered what he was told about Queen Sectonia and President Haltmann.</p><p>"You walkin' piece a' scrap iron, when I get over there, I'm gonna atomize you so bad they won't know what's what of ya anymore!" Dedede was about to run out the door when Bandana grabbed him to keep him from moving.</p><p>"Great king! Now isn't the time to lose your cool! You have to calm down!"</p><p>"Quit tryin' to stop me, Bandana! I ain't gonna feel any better until I pulverize him!"</p><p>"I'm bothered by what I've heard, to, but you have to calm down before you do something you'll regret!" The king huffed as he came to a stop and crossed his arms, seemingly angry that his subordinate stopped him. Though it was probably for the better, since Chamber could move without a pilot.</p><p>Meta Knight could only stare quietly at the ensign. While it wasn't obvious due to his cape being wrapped around himself, his eyes had turned grass-green and his visible body language seemed to indicate that he was concerned, slipping another lemon drop under his mask.</p><p>Strangely, Kirby was quiet while all of this was happening.</p><p>Normally, he'd be the first to say something in a situation like this.</p><hr/><p>Dedede was the first to break the silence after a few minutes. He took Ledo's chin in his hand and raised it so he could look him in the eye while talking to him.</p><p>"Listen up, kid, you can just rest. No matter what that tin can says, there's no reason for you to fight! And if this planet comes under attack? So what! We've got Kirby, and…as much as I hate to admit it…he's the ultimate weapon against dudes like Dark Matter and that. You don't need to worry that cute little head of yours over this! If you wanna fight, I ain't gonna stop you." He gave a smile as he ruffled the ensign's hair.</p><p>The next to speak was Bandana Dee.</p><p>"Ledo, I know everything you just heard was awful, and I think it's awful as well. You were pretty much told to your face that everything you've built your life around was a lie to force you into fighting a war you'd want nothing to do with otherwise. If I were you, I'd be all kinds of confused and upset!"</p><p>The ensign gazed silently at him.</p><p>"I know what you're thinking. Ledo, you aren't a monster! You're nothing like Dark Matter, or Nightmare, or Sectonia, or Haltmann! The fact that you're struggling like this is proof of that! All of those baddies Kirby took down had no empathy to the point where they'd hurt the people who cared about them just to get what they desired! Think about it, ever since you landed here, have you purposely harmed someone who cared about you just to get what you desire?"</p><p>He began to think. While he did pull his pistol out on others a few times, it was because he was afraid for his own safety or the safety of those around him. There were the tests to join the Halberd crew, but he was ordered to fight in those, so they didn't count when it came to self-decided actions like what Bandana was talking about. Other than that, he never directly harmed anybody! Upon finishing their discussion. Dedede and Bandana sat next to him.</p><p>That was when Meta Knight began to speak.</p><p>"Ensign Ledo…no, Ledo, while I understand the importance of fighting against threats, I don't think you should be forced to fight against your will. I know, this is rich coming from someone who once tried to take over Dreamland as an attempt to force others to fight, but I've changed since then and realized why that's wrong."</p><p>He walked to the ensign's opposite side, as if to block Dedede and Bandana's view. The reason was for that was soon obvious when he lifted his mask to show a serious expression.</p><p>"Ledo. Remember what I told you about my mechanization. While it's hardly the same situation, I understand what you are feeling right now. Anger… sadness… confusion… I understand it all too well. You don't have to fight if you don't want to but remember that there will always be a place for you here on the Halberd." He gave a gentle smile before lowering his mask.</p><p>The last to speak up was Kirby, who now stood in front of the young man.</p><p>"Ledo, do you know why I fight? It's because it's the right thing to do. Even if I'm mistaken about what's going on or if someone is tricking me, I still do what I think is best. I don't like fighting…at least when it's not a game… but I do it anyway, even though there's a chance I could get hurt, or worse!"</p><p>The young man seemed to avert his eyes.</p><p>"I honestly know how you feel right now! You're lost and don't know what to do! I felt the same way when Marx and Magolor betrayed me, I actually began to doubt if I should help people again! And then I had a similar feeling recently when I fought Void…and staring back at me was…my own face…" puff wiped his eyes a bit before taking one of Ledo's hands. "I think what I'm trying to say is…you can fight without becoming a monster! Not only that, but you have friends all around you! That's why I've been able to do all these crazy things! Because I have my friends!" To his surprise, the puff then tackled him in a hug. "You don't have to deal with this alone, Ledo! Let me help you!" he trembled a bit, as if crying.</p><p>The ensign silently returned it. "…thank you."</p><p>The young man could feel Dedede put a hand on his opposite shoulder while Meta Knight and Bandana continued to sit next to him.</p><p>Of course. That was the answer.</p><p>"Chamber…I would fight…not for the sake of survival or dignity of the human race, but to protect those I care about."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Is that so, ensign?" </em> </span>
</p><p>"Yes. After everything I have learned today, I don't think all the villains who attacked Popstar in the past were defeated because natural selection had taken place as you had implied. I think they were defeated because they had nothing to back themselves up with. Unbeatable strength and technology can only get you so far. Kirby was able to beat all of them because he had people supporting him and a desire to protect them. At least, that's what I believe."</p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "…ultimately, it is your decision what you fight for, ensign. As I have told you, my only duty is to help you succeed in your mission." </em> </span>
</p><p>He knew that. What exactly would his mission be now?</p><p>That was when Meta Knight cleared his throat "Machine Caliber Chamber! As Ensign Ledo is a member of the Meta-Knights, you are by extension under our command! The ensign's current mission is "protect the peace of Popstar with his allies"! As an AI designed to assist their pilot in whatever their mission is, will you assist us?!"</p><p>There was a pause.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"If that is what Ensign Ledo's new mission is, I shall continue to assist him as long as I am able to."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Thank you, Chamber…and everyone else, thanks for your support…"</p><p>"Especially me, right? 'Cuz I was the one helpin' you out here the longest, right princess?" Dedede tousled his hair.</p><p>"I thought I already told you not to call me that!" he quickly tried to fix his hair, which had been growing progressively messier due to stress and Dedede ruffling it.</p><p>"The old Ledo's back!" Bandana cheered as he hugged him.</p><p>"You don't need to thank me, ensign. Just remember what I said, if you're having any problems, talk to me." The knight replied.</p><p>"Just talk to me as well! You know I'll always help you if you need it!" Kirby exclaimed as he continued to hug him.</p><p>"Again, thank you for your support, everyone. I really appreciate it." He shifted a bit on his legs.</p><p>"Somethin' wrong?"</p><p>"I…I think my legs fell asleep." he swore he heard Meta Knight, Dedede, and Bandana suppress a laugh.</p><p>"Then you should stop kneeling!"</p><p>Right. He probably should.</p><p>"Meta-sensei, is it fine if I stay here for the night? I'm still worried about how Ledo will be…" Kirby spoke up.</p><p>"That's fine, but I…"</p><p>"You have my permission, Kirby. I shall be keeping watch over him tonight as well."</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight?!"</p><p>Dedede huffed "Well, I guess if my rival and MK are sleepin' over here, I guess I'll join in! By the time we get back to the castle it'll be way too late anyway!"</p><p>"That's right, sire!"</p><p>"But where will all of you sleep?!"</p><p>"We'll worry about that later! I want dinner now!"</p><p>"Huh?! This late!?"</p><p>Wait, what time was it anyway?</p><p>"Chamber, what time is it?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It is currently 20:33, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh? I don't think it's that late." Kirby mumbled.</p><p>"Same here!" Dedede added.</p><p>"No meal is too late for you two…you see what I have to deal with, ensign?"</p><p>"Good grief…"</p><p>Bandana Dee then spoke up. "Wait, would they even have stuff to eat for us at this time?"</p><p>"Well, they better! Be plenty rude not to greet the king with a banquet!" Dedede yelled.</p><p>"I really need some food right now; I haven't eaten since lunch…" Kirby mumbled.</p><p>Meta Knight looked as if he was thinking. "How about Bandana and I make us something with what we can find in the kitchen?"</p><p>Hearing that made Kirby immediately perk up "Are you going to make a dessert, Meta-sensei?!"</p><p>"Not today. We'll have a nice breakfast tomorrow."</p><p>"Fiiiine…"</p><p>The group then exited the room.</p><hr/><p>In the main hangar of the Halberd, the audio feed abruptly cut off on Chamber's cockpit screen.</p><p>"I'm happy that everything's okay now!" Sailor Dee smiled.</p><p>"So, his new mission is "protect his allies", is it?" Captain Vul breathed out some smoke from his pipe.</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">Affirmative</span>." </em>
</p><p>"An' you're gonna stick around for that?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Well, I guess I better get used to your presence, tin can."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Query: is my presence not that obvious?" </em> </span>
</p><p>"It is to me, but I think that's mostly because I'm in the inner hanger a lot of the time…" Sailor Dee sighed.</p><p>"It is, but I'm still not used to it." The avian captain shook his head.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: Why did you have me play audio of what was going on in the ensign's room, Captain Vul?"</em> </span>
</p><p>There was another breath of smoke. "Hey, I'm concerned for the kid after how he was acting. Normally I wouldn't do this, but I couldn't help it." Even then, he felt a bit bad for spying on them.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I do not detect any failure in your logic." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Yeah, I was worried, too. It was weird seeing him be like that." Sailor Dee commented.</p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p>"By the way, you know what happened to Axe Knight?" Vul questioned.</p><p>"He went down in the most noble way, sacrificing himself to Head Nurse Bio Gale for the sake of the ensign." Sailor Dee saluted.</p><p>"Ah…indeed, he was a good soldier. He will be missed."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"From the little interaction I have had with him, agreed."</em> </span>
</p><p>"You guys do know I'm still alive, right?"</p><p>"Sometimes I can still hear his voice."</p><p>"…if you don't stop with this, imma get to chopping."</p><hr/><p>Night fell over Orange Ocean and it appeared that Kirby, Bandana Dee, Meta Knight, and King Dedede were keeping their word. Even if it meant that the group was sleeping on the floor together. With everyone being in close proximity to one another, one thing came to mind.</p><p>"You guys do know I have to get up early tomorrow?" Ledo asked, remembering his maintenance duties.</p><p>"Ensign, I order you to sleep in for once…" the knight mumbled.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Roger. I will not wake the ensign up early tomorrow."</em> </span>
</p><p>"CHAMBER?!"</p><p>"Shut up and sleep, princess…"</p><p>"Do. Not. Call. Me. That."</p><p>"Enooough! Let me sleep!" They probably should go to sleep before Kirby became crabby.</p><p>"…good night everyone."</p><p>"Good night, ensign."</p><p>"Night, princess…OW!"</p><p>"Sweet dreams…"</p><p>"Mmh…nighty night…" the room became silent as he fell asleep.</p><p>
  <em>"And thank you again…"</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This might be one of my favorite chapters. It's a bit on the heavy side, but I think I handled it well.</p><p>I really think that Dedede really shines in this particular chapter and I enjoyed writing him.</p><p>Bio Gale is an OC from my short Kirby mangas that I post on Twitter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Now, Spread Your Wings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 13: Now, Spread Your Wings</strong>
</p><p>Ledo was the first to awaken the next morning. Even though he was told that he was allowed to sleep in, it seems that he was too used to his schedule of waking up early. He noticed a wall of softness on his left side until he realized that he had been using Dedede as a pillow in his sleep. He quickly looked around the room, noticing that the Waddle Dee and two puffs were still asleep next to him. Looking at Meta Knight made him curious about something. He remembered Kirby feeling soft and squishy whenever he held him, like whenever he grabbed him out of midair when he was about to hug-tackle him. Did Meta Knight feel the same way?</p><p><em>"…sorry about this, Lord Meta Knight." </em>He gave a gentle poke, which felt…off. Then he gave a gentle pinch. <em>"His body is more like toned arm muscles…?" </em>he thought, gently poking him again.</p><p>"It's not polite to wake people by poking them, ensign Ledo…"</p><p>He flinched back. "H-how long were you awake?" he stammered into a whisper as he realized that the others were sleeping.</p><p>"I woke up when you started poking me. Would you care to explain why?"</p><p>Suddenly, the ensign felt extremely embarrassed. "I…was wondering if…you felt the same way Kirby did…"</p><p>The knight briefly hid his eyes for a moment, but the young man could've sworn that he saw them turn pink.</p><p>He leaned closer to him. "Forgive me, Lord Meta Knight, I…!" he was cut off by a gloved hand pinching his cheek.</p><p>"We're even now. We will not speak of this again, ensign." The young man nodded.</p><p>Behind them, they heard a loud yawn and turned to see Dedede stretching.</p><p>"Ugh…man, why do I feel like a log was sleepin' on me?" the king grumbled as he rubbed his eyes.</p><p>Another yawn from Bandana Dee followed "Sire…don't you…" another yawn "…don't you mean to say you slept like a log…?" the way he mumbled that made it sound as if he was still half-asleep.</p><p>"I know what I said...where are we anyway? I know we ain't at the castle 'cause I din't hear no loud piano playing to wake me up." The king stretched again while yawning "Oh…right, we're in Ledo's room. I forgot."</p><p>"O-oh, good morning, you two. Did you just wake up now?"</p><p>"Duh, we just did." Dedede blinked a few times upon looking at him. "Why you look so embarrassed?"</p><p>"…it's just your imagination."</p><p>The king looked at him in suspicion. "Yeah, sure, whateves. Where's that pink marshmallow?"</p><p>"He's right here. Let me wake him up." Bandana started by pushing Kirby, which only flipped him onto his back with no further reaction. He then walked over to the window "Come on, Kirby…" he then threw open the curtains, letting sunlight pour into the room, forcing the others in the room to cover their eyes. "Time to get up!"</p><p>The pink puff flinched from the sudden burst of sunlight, and scrambled to hide under the closest thing, being Meta Knight's cape.</p><p>"…39 more minutes…" the child murmured.</p><p>"Wait, why 39?" Bandana asked.</p><p>"Let me handle this." The knight turned to his student. "Come on, get out from under there." He tried to pull away his cape, but the pink puff just wrapped it tighter around himself.</p><p>"39 more minutes, Meta-sensei…"</p><p>The knight heaved a heavy sigh. "Kirby, it's time for breakfast."</p><p>Upon hearing that, the child immediately perked up "Breakfast!? WHERE!?"</p><p>"In the dining room, of course. We didn't go there because we were waiting for you to get up."</p><p>"Well, why didn't you say so?! Come on!" he grabbed Meta Knight and ran out of the room, dragging him along. Of course, that would make him get moving.</p><p>"Well, come on, you two! …or don't, more food for me!" Dedede said as he left. Ledo and Bandana Dee looked at each other.</p><p>"Well, we better get to the dining room before those two eat everything and not leave anything for us!" He nodded and they followed after the king.</p><p>Despite knowing otherwise, last night's existential crisis and mental breakdown had almost begun to feel like a bad dream to the ensign.</p><hr/><p>The group had the entire dining room to themselves that morning.</p><p>"HEY! GET OUT! YOU'RE A GUEST! YOU SHOULDN'T BE WORKING IN HERE!" they could hear Sailor Dee yelling from the kitchen.</p><p>"Do you remember who two of your guests are!?"</p><p>"Oh right…um…would you care to help?"</p><p>"Sure, hold on a minute!" Bandana Dee ran out of the kitchen.</p><p>"Hey, what do you guys want for breakfast?"</p><p>"I want chocolate chip pancakes with tons of fruit, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream!" the pink puff exclaimed.</p><p>"Make me some pancakes an' one of them omelets!"</p><p>"Same! Plus, some scrambled eggs!"</p><p>"Sunnyside up for me!"</p><p>The poor Waddle Dee was writing as fast as he could until Meta Knight entered carrying a tray of tea.</p><p>"You two, don't ask for too much, otherwise I'll start charging you for the groceries."</p><p>Dedede began to grumble while Kirby pouted.</p><p>"Ledo, what would you like?"</p><p>"I guess I'll just take some pancakes and fruit. Nothing too crazy."</p><p>"Very well, and you, Meta Knight?"</p><p>"Worry about yourself first, Bandana."</p><p>"I already did. I'm just going to have some pancakes and an apple strudel."</p><p>"…I'll have pancakes as well then. I'm sure it'll be easier for you both then."</p><p>"Oh no, if you want something else, it's fine!"</p><p>"No, I insist."</p><p>"Ah, very well then." The Dee walked back into the kitchen.</p><p>"You're not going to have your usual, Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"I had it while I was in the kitchen, ensign."</p><p>Ledo wanted to ask why he couldn't just eat it out here, since at least Kirby was aware of the knight's love of sweets, but he didn't want to pry too much. It was a likely case of he wants only a few people to be aware of that.</p><p>"Ensign, would you like your tea in the usual way?"</p><p>"I can make it myself, Lord Meta Knight."</p><p>The knight nodded in response, passing the tray over. "Just be careful when you drink it this time."</p><p>The young man shook his head, remembering when he spit out some tea because it was fairly hot. It wasn't scalding, thankfully, but it made his tongue feel awkward for a few days afterwards.</p><p>"So, did you sleep well last night, Ledo?" Bandana asked from in the kitchen.</p><p>"Yes, I did." That was when he remembered that morning. "Dedede, sorry for using you as a pillow last night."</p><p>The king huffed "Hmph! I only let you 'cuz I felt bad for you! It's not like I enjoyed being a pillow ya dolt! Even if it was kinda comfortable...which it definitely wasn't!"</p><p>"But Dedede, didn't you say he could do that?"</p><p>"QUIET, KIRBY!" he bitterly glared at his rival.</p><p>"I detect a rise in temperature, Great King, would you like me to examine you?" Bio Gale dropped down from the ceiling above, landing next to Dedede.</p><p>"WHY ARE YOU STILL ON THIS SHIP!?"</p><p>"I work here."</p><p>"CALM DOOOWNNNNNN!" Bandana shouted from the kitchen. There was something frightening about the way he said that, as it was accompanied by several loud chops. The king and pink puff immediately fell silent after that.</p><p>"Head Nurse, return to your post." The knight ordered.</p><p>"Understood." She stepped back into the shadows.</p><p>There was nothing but the sounds of cooking from the kitchen.</p><p>"Would you like to see a magic trick?" Meta Knight suddenly asked.</p><p>"What kind of magic trick!?" Kirby asked with excitement.</p><p>"Watch." He took a sugar cube and placed it on top of the tea. The cube looked like it was sitting on top of the tea.</p><p>"Wow! How did you do that?!"</p><p>"That's a secret."</p><p>"Huh?! Why can't you tell me, sensei?"</p><p>"Don't you know? A magician never reveals their secrets."</p><p>"Eh, I'd expect somethin' flashier from you."</p><p>"Well then, you perform something."</p><p>"Do ya really think I can do that on an empty stomach?!"</p><p>At first, Ledo was amazed by the trick, but it didn't take him long to notice that there was a tower of sugar cubes within the cup. He only continued to appear amazed, as to not ruin the trick for them.</p><p>Suddenly, a red light on the wall began to flash, with a siren blaring. It caused Kirby to cover his ears, the two Waddle Dees in the kitchen to jump in surprise, and Dedede to fall out of his chair.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">According to data received from the bridge, an enemy vessel has been detected. Reasonable course of action: prepare for combat."</span></em>Chamber analyzed.</p><p>"Ugh…this early in the morning?" Meta Knight grumbled as he picked up a phone hanging under it. "Tell all crew to prepare for battle! What's the status of the enemy?"</p><p>"The enemy is moving extremely fast, sir!" on the other end was Mace Knight.</p><p>"Can you get a lock onto them?!"</p><p>"We can, but there's a chance our attacks won't hit! We'll be more likely to take them out if they're engaged directly! I've looked at the digital checklist. Our best option is to send out Chamber!"</p><p>"Request rejected; I'll head out myself."</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight?!"</p><p>"I swore I wouldn't force Ledo to fight, Mace Knight! I'm going to fight them myself!"</p><p>"I'd just have to disable their machines, right?" the knight turned to see Ledo standing up. "I appreciate your concern about me, Lord Meta Knight, but I said I'd fight if it meant protecting those I care about." He saluted, receiving a nod from his lord.</p><p>"Retract my rejection."</p><p>"Understood, sir." He hung up. "Ensign, prepare to sortie!"</p><p>"Yes, sir!" When Ledo ran out of the room, Meta Knight picked up the phone again, pressing a button to change it to intercom mode. "Attention all Halberd crew stationed in the inner hanger. Prepare for shifts in gravity, as we will be launching Chamber."</p><p>"Meta-sensei, why do they need to be careful?"</p><p>"Chamber distorts gravity to fly. If you're too close, you're going to be affected by the imbalance in gravity." He had experienced it during one of their test launches, where he nearly was thrown out of the hanger due to the gravity imbalance.</p><p>Bandana Dee stared silently from the door before speaking up "…um…I can't help but notice that you seem to be a bit more annoyed than usual…normally you wouldn't do such risky things like offer to go out and attack them yourself…"</p><p>"Oh, I'm not annoyed at all." He mumbled to himself.</p><p>"Yes, you are!" the Waddle Dee complained.</p><p>"Could ya blame 'em? We were haven' a nice breakfast 'till they showed up!" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"Yeah!"</p><p>Bandana Dee could only sigh.</p><hr/><p>"You sure you gonna be fine out there, kid?" Captain Vul asked on Chamber's intercom.</p><p>"I have Chamber with me. I'll be fine." Ledo responded, putting his helmet on.</p><p>"Yeah, but I'm a bit concerned for you after last night."</p><p>"I was just a bit off last night. Don't worry."</p><p>The captain only sighed in response.</p><p>"I'm taking the beam rifle and harpoon-spear. That fine?"</p><p>"If you think you can beat them with those, knock yourself out. I don't know how Chamber works as much as you do."</p><p>"Alright."</p><p>Chamber's beam rifle was the only piece of equipment the Machine Caliber originally had that they could find after landing. The ensign and his mech managed to fish it out of the lake two weeks ago. The harpoon-spear was something designed collectively by the Meta-Knights, with their leader providing the blueprints to work from. It was an obvious solution to prevent the young man from doing a repeat of the Heavy Lobster incident, but it could also have been a sort of gift welcoming him to the crew.</p><p>The hanger opened up.</p><p>"We'll be back in a bit. Tell Sailor Dee to keep breakfast warm for me."</p><p>"Will do. Nova speed, ensign."</p><hr/><p>Honestly, the most surprising thing about these pirates was the fact that they had giant mecha. While they were nothing like Chamber, they were giant mecha regardless.</p><p>"Chamber how many are we dealing with?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I have counted 10 machines, all of which are piloted."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Let's start by firing a warning shot."</p><p>Raising the beam rifle, the mech fired a shot into the air. <em>"<span class="u">Attention. That was a warning shot. If you do not wish to fight, retreat."</span></em></p><p>A red machine seemingly ignored the action and charged forward.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, negotiations have failed. I recommend immediate engagement."</em> </span>
</p><p>Well, it couldn't be helped. "I see. Lock on to the one in front of us."</p><p>Pulling out the harpoon spear Ledo landed a decisive blow on the quick machine. That was when the young man noticed someone jump out before it exploded.</p><p>"Ok that one's down..." he was suddenly hit with fire. "Damn it! Chamber, status!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Minimal damage received." </em> </span>
</p><p>Three of the machines had started to repeatedly fire on Chamber. Alone it would be no issue but being ganged up on is another matter entirely.</p><p>"You've got to be kidding me...!" Ledo aims Chamber's beam rifle and fires, taking 2 of the units out. The remaining machines start to retreat from the area as if panicked by the attack.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign shall we continue our pursuit?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"No. They're leaving. Our main objective was to get rid of them." He pressed a button on the side of his helmet, lifting it off his head.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"They might come back Ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then we'll deal with that when it happens. No worries." He opened up the comm channel to the Halberd. "This is Ensign Ledo. The enemy is retreating. Returning to base now."</p><p>"Copy that. Well done."</p><hr/><p>Breakfast was ready by the time Ledo returned to the dining room.</p><p>"Oi, princess, you know what us being slightly fueled by hunger into fighting reminded me of? The Gourmet Race!"</p><p>"First of all, please do not call me that, and second, what is the Gourmet Race?"</p><p>A shocked expression appeared on Dedede's face. "Wha? No one told ya 'bout that?" he turned towards the knight "Yo, MK, what gives?!"</p><p>"It's too trivial for me to care about…" he uttered in a slightly judgmental voice.</p><p>"Well, fine. What 'bout you, Kirby?"</p><p>Upon looking over, the puff had already downed his plate of pancakes with Sailor Dee staring at him from the corner as if he was about to cry. "I forgot!"</p><p>"I kind of doubt that."</p><p>"But I did!"</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, what is this Gourmet Race about?"</p><p>"It's an excuse for those two to run a marathon while eating."</p><p>"That…sounds horrible."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I cannot comprehend the logic in having such a meaningless event."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Nobody asked ya, tin can! Y'all are just like that 'cuz you never tried it!"</p><p>"But I don't want to try it."</p><p>"Too late! We're havin' a Gourmet Race today, an' you're gonna try it!"</p><p>"Or what?"</p><p>"I'll tell people 'bout that sweet tooth of yours."</p><p>"I will straight up murder you, Dedede." Huh. So they did know about his sweet tooth.</p><p>"Both of you calm down! How are we going to get the food for such a massive event in such a short amount of time?!" Bandana shouted.</p><p>"Eh…can't we just call Kawasaki or something? He likes doing 'em for extra restaurant exposure."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not understand the logic of such actions. I believe that the number of calories both of you have ingested greatly surpass the recommended daily value. Reasonable course of action: perform exercises designed to burn calories. I believe the ensign can assist with that if needed."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Shut up, tin can!"</p><p>"If you're going to force me to do it, I refuse to with such a large crowd!"</p><p>"Huh? I thought you said you didn't want to do it, Meta-sensei!"</p><p>"I figured that Dedede wouldn't stop annoying me about it if I didn't..."</p><p>"Ya darn right 'bout that!" Everyone gave a collective sigh. "Yo, Bandana! I gots an idea! Call the Waddle Dees and tell 'em to make the food for the race!"</p><p>"Yes, your highness! When do you want to have the race, sir?"</p><p>"Go with...uh...maybe in four or so hours?"</p><p>"Understood!" he raced off to go talk on the phone.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, what do you intend to do during this?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"I'll probably watch it. I've been interested in studying how Kirby's metabolism works anyway. I assume you're the same way, Chamber."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>Meta Knight seemed to avert his eyes, as if knowing that Ledo was also slightly alluding to him as well.</p><p>"It's just very fast isn't it?" the pink puff asked.</p><p>"I'd like to know exactly how fast it is. I notice that you tend to eat a lot of food, especially sweets, yet you don't gain any weight."</p><p>"Doesn't that also have to do with that metabolism thing?"</p><p>"Yes. That's what I'd like to study."</p><p>"Okay!"</p><p>"Yeah, but how you gonna do that?"</p><p>"Taranza and Bandana can help me keep track of what you guys eat."</p><p>"Geez, you really tend to think ahead, don't you?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Doing otherwise is an inadvisable course of action."</em> </span>
</p><p>It was then settled. The Gourmet Race would take place this afternoon.</p><hr/><p>The starting line was in a place called Pumpkin Grand. It was a mostly hilly area situated at the top of a cliff. There was food spread out along the path.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe this violates several sanitation rules. The reasonable course of action would be to place the dishes on tables."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Shut it, tin can! We've never got no germs from doin' it like this!" The others could only sigh. "Now take a look at this weather! It's a perfect day for a Gourmet Race if I've seen one. Which I have!" the king laughed.</p><p>"Why do you have me joining this stupid event again?" Taranza grumbled.</p><p>"I need you and Bandana to document everything Kirby eats. It's for my research." Ledo replied.</p><p>"What kind of research, dare I ask?"</p><p>"Something about metabolisms." The pink puff replied, jumping up and down as if to warm himself up.</p><p>"And what will you be doing during this event?"</p><p>"I'll be responsible for observing Lord Meta Knight since he's also part of this study."</p><p>Upon hearing that, Taranza's jaw would've hit the ground if it could drop that far. "Huh?! You're studying HIM?! AND he's participating in this event?!"</p><p>"Don't remind me..."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe that the ensign gave you the option to opt out of this study, Lord Meta Knight."</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight covered his eyes with a faint groan. He had forgotten that was mentioned on the way to this location.</p><p>"...Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"I'm fine...Dedede won't stop annoying me unless I participate in this thing anyway..."</p><p>A megaphone screech came from the starting line. "Is this thing on?" Bandana Dee asked, megaphone in hand.</p><p>"You're good!" the king gave a thumbs up.</p><p>With a nod, he began to clear his throat. "Welcome to the smaller event sized Gourmet Race! Due to the specific circumstances of this event, Allen was unable to be the host, so I, Bandana Waddle Dee, will be your host for this afternoon."</p><p>It took a moment for Ledo to realize that "Allen" was likely the name of the Waddle Dee that usually did this event. He remembered hearing that the Dees that worked in the castle had plain-sounding names.</p><p>"Let's go over the rules..."</p><p>"We already know the rules!"</p><p>"Yes, but we have some new faces to the event, so I thought I should review them. The object is to eat the most food and reach the finish line first! Each food is worth one point, and if you reach the finish line first, you will earn bonus points. You can use weapons and copy abilities, but you can't use them to directly harm the other participants. And... that's about it."</p><p>The rules sounded simple enough.</p><p>"Now, take your places at the starting line. When I set off this popper, that will mean to start the race!"</p><p>Everyone positioned themselves at the line and waited for the signal. Bandana set off the party popper and the first round began.</p><hr/><p>The next course in the race was a place called Corn Hall. Based on what Ledo could see from the starting line, the terrain of this area was a lot more mountainous. There was a brief rest period before this next race. According to what Bandana said, this was implemented specifically for this race, since they usually just did them back-to-back. While Kirby didn't mind this change, it made Dedede more impatient.</p><p>Ledo stared at his tally in suspicion. "...Lord Meta Knight, these numbers are a bit..."</p><p>"No, I believe they are fully accurate." He cut him off.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"They are less than my calculated predictions. Unless my predictions are wrong, I have hypothesized that you are purposely throwing the race."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber's right! At least try to enjoy yourself and put in a bit of effort!" Kirby pouted.</p><p>"Oh no, you both are so much faster than me when it comes to this."</p><p>"Meta-sensei, you aren't even trying!" his student continued to pout.</p><p>"Yes, I am Kirby."</p><p>"The race will begin soon!" Bandana Dee spoke through a megaphone.</p><p>"Now unless you want Dedede to win this time, you better not worry about me."</p><p>"AHHHH! YOU'RE RIGHT!"</p><p>The group met back up at the starting line, where Taranza and Bandana Dee were talking and reading over their tally and notes.</p><p>"Why'd I agree to this again?" the spider mage grumbled.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, did you have anything better to do?"</p><p>"Not really, and I guess this is kind of interesting. Besides, I guess it's fine if it's to help out Ledo. Honestly, I'm also curious about how his majesty can run that fast. He doesn't strike me as the type."</p><p>"OI, WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?" They didn't even flinch at Dedede's yelling. Likely because they were used to it.</p><p>"Normally you would be right, but when it comes to competitions, especially ones with Kirby, his majesty gets super competitive."</p><p>"I see. Say, how many times has He won this thing anyway?"</p><p>Bandana Dee paused for a moment to think. "...none."</p><p>"Oh, how many times have they done this race?"</p><p>"I stopped counting after fifty. You'll have to ask Allen if you want an exact number, since he normally oversees this event."</p><p>"Well then, you think this time might be any different?"</p><p>Bandana looked again at his notes. "Maybe. Kirby does seem to be distracted by something, but who knows?" He could feel the gazes of the participants beating down on him. "Oh, uh, is everyone ready?"</p><p>"DUH! We wouldn't be standin' 'ere if we weren't!" Dedede crossed his arms impatiently.</p><p>The Waddle Dee sighed as he readied the party popper. Everyone bolted from the starting line the moment he set it off.</p><hr/><p>The final course was called Onion Garden. Not much could be seen from the starting line, but at least it appeared to be sheltered. There was another brief rest period beforehand.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, my current tally for Lord Meta Knight is..."</em> </span>
</p><p>"They aren't matching up with what you predicted, are they?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>Bandana Dee and Taranza both talked to him about each participant's score for the race, and it just didn't seem right to him. While Kirby and Dedede both had a massive total, Meta Knight's was still strangely low. The knight had a bit of a competitive streak in him, according to the pink puff, and something like this should've triggered it.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, I know you aren't enthusiastic about this, but at this rate you aren't going to win."</p><p>As he said that, the knight sighed "It's fine, ensign. Even if I did take this seriously, there's no way I could beat Kirby at this. He's an expert at dining and dashing so to say." From what the young man has seen of the race so far, that seemed to be true.</p><p>"Speaking of, I'm surprised that they missed some food. I was sure it would all be devoured considering both of their appetites."</p><p>"Kirby purposefully left some behind for me."</p><p>"What makes you think that, Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"Call it... teacher's intuition."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"If that is the case, then the results of this study are skewed. If we are to obtain accurate results, we would need to start the race over."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I don't think there's a need for that. I want at least a rough idea."</p><p>There was another megaphone screech before Bandana Dee started to speak again. "Will all participants please line up at the starting line?"</p><p>The knight turned back to him. "Now come along, the final race is about to begin."</p><p>As he walked over to the starting line, Ledo began to think of something. "Chamber...about what Meta Knight said...why do you think Kirby is leaving food for him?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"While I lack sufficient evidence, my current hypothesis is that he is aware the bonus from finishing first can help him achieve a victory."</em> </span>
</p><p>There was a point to that. Bandana clearly said that one of the rules of the race, plus Kirby had been the first to cross the finish line on every course so far. But could that really be the only thing?</p><p>There was no time to think further, as Bandana Dee raised the popper and set it off.</p><hr/><p>Upon the conclusion of the final course, Ledo, Bandana, and Taranza began to tally up the final scores.</p><p>"Well, I think we've got it then." The Waddle Dee looked at the paper.</p><p>"Chamber, do you have an approximate calorie count for all of the food in the race?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Alright, then scan these papers and begin your calculations." He held out the communication device and Chamber scanned the papers.</p><p>"So, who won?!" Dedede demanded as Bandana walked over to announce the results.</p><p>"Calm down! I'm going to get to that!" he cleared his throat. "So, according to our calculations, the winner of this Gourmet Race is...Kirby!"</p><p>"Yay!"</p><p>"WHAT?! HOW?! HE DIDN'T EAT NEARLY AS MUCH AS HE NORMALLY DOES!" the king shook the Dee, who seemed unfazed by the action.</p><p>"Your highness, we were only following normal tallying protocol. The only thing that changed was we had a break between each round."</p><p>"GRRR! I knew I shoulda banned him from usin' that there Wing ability on the final course!"</p><p>"He would've just used a different copy ability..."</p><p>"SHUT UP! THEN WE SHOULDA JUST BANNED HIM FROM USIN' COPY ABILITIES PERIOD!"</p><p>Meta Knight, Ledo, and Taranza only watched the king's rambling in annoyance.</p><p>"Is he normally like this when he loses?" Taranza turned to Kirby, who had joined the group.</p><p>"Once in a while. He usually just cries in a corner."</p><p>"Guess this is what losing over fifty times does to you..."</p><p>"Uh-huh. Even though he got in second this time...because SOMEONE wasn't trying." He pouted as he gazed towards Meta Knight.</p><p>"I wouldn't be able to beat you if I tried Kirby. Besides, I was able to notice that you've gotten better at using the Wing ability to maneuver."</p><p>"Thank you for the compliment, but that's not the point! You probably could've beaten at least Dedede if you actually tried!"</p><p>"Also, using Dive Bomb to quickly descend was quite clever..."</p><p>"Did you even hear what I just said?!"</p><p>"You know, I might have us practice with Wing at our next training session instead of...I believe it was Staff I said we would work on..."</p><p>"META-SENSEIIIIIIIIIIII!" the pink puff shook his mentor in frustration. Of course, his mentor had no reaction to it and continued to murmur to himself about their training schedule.</p><p>"...well, that was a thing. Did Chamber finish his calculations?" Taranza looked at the young man.</p><p>"Chamber, what's the status?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"My calculations are complete, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Alright, let me hear it."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Due to the circumstances of obtaining this data, assume that my findings are merely a hypothesis. Taking into account what was eaten at breakfast, I have hypothesized that Kirby and Meta Knight's species may require at least ten times the maximum calorie intake of humans to function." </em> </span>
</p><p>"That's approximately twenty thousand..." he then did a double take "Wait, did you say "at least"!?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. Furthermore, assuming that Kirby has consumed plenty more in previous Gourmet Races like Dedede and Bandana Dee have mentioned, combined with what Kirby himself has mentioned to have eaten before, they could eat as much as fifty times the recommended calorie intake of humans and remain at a healthy weight. Kirby especially might require more due to his use of Copy Abilities."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Is... that so...?" Ledo uttered.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I must reiterate that this is only a hypothesis based on inaccurate data, ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>"That only means the number can be higher!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. This data also matches up with what Lord Meta Knight told us about their species having a speedier metabolism."</em> </span>
</p><p>The ensign could only sigh. If their metabolism is really that fast, it would explain why they seem to enjoy a lot of sweets. They were perfect for an extra boost of calories as long as they are still able to get in their recommended value of vitamins and minerals.</p><p>"Those two both amaze and scare me..." he shook his head in amazement.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Agreed." </em> </span>
</p><hr/><p>"Is there any reason why you followed me back to my room?"</p><p>Upon returning to the Halberd, Kirby had followed Ledo back to his room. Of course, Dedede, Bandana Dee, and Taranza had returned to one of the king's castles, if only so he could cool down after how furious he was earlier today.</p><p>"I'm still worried about you after what happened last night! I don't really want to leave until I know that you're fine!" the puff had a concerned expression on his face.</p><p>The ensign could only sigh. "I'm fine now, Kirby. Don't worry."</p><p>The child's expression didn't change, but he tilted to the side as if questioning the statement. "You promise?"</p><p>"I promise."</p><p>Well, while the puff's here, he might as well do something he's been wanting to do for a while.</p><p>"Here's a gift of thanks for last night." He gave Kirby one of the Hideauze claws he had in his pocket. It was more cleanly made than the one he had been working on constantly.</p><p>"Wow! This was the one that Sailor Dee had played before! Ledo, did you make this one?"</p><p>The young man shook his head. "No, I believe it was made by my younger brother."</p><p>"Huh?! You have a younger brother?! Why didn't you mention that?!"</p><p>He hesitated for a moment, trying to decide if he wanted to discuss it, before continuing "Did Meta Knight tell you what happens to those the Alliance deem too ill or weak to fight?"</p><p>The pink puff looked down at the ground. "I…think I heard you say…they're disposed of. Was that what happened to your younger brother?" There was something that...hurt...about the tone the child used.</p><p>"Right, I believe you may have been there when I mentioned it to Sailor Dee. To the Galactic Alliance, those who cannot fight cannot have any desire to live."</p><p>"But that's not fair! They have a right to live just as much as anyone else!"</p><p>"While that's true, I can't change their practices."</p><p>For a moment, Kirby hesitated to speak, as if unsure if what he was thinking was right. Then, he spoke up. "Do you agree with them?"</p><p>"Not anymore, no. Of course, I used to just do so because it was as I was ordered. But now…"</p><p>"If it's in the past, you shouldn't worry about it!" the pink puff smiled.</p><p>"Can you really move on from the past that easily?" he asked.</p><p>"Yup! If I didn't, I wouldn't have as many friends as I do now!"</p><p>That's very true, based on what he was told. Kirby had a strange ability to be able to befriend just about anyone, even if he was betrayed or threatened with death. Heck, one of those people was his own mentor!</p><p>The child suddenly yawned and rubbed one of his eyes. "Well, I should head home then! I'll see you tomorrow!"</p><p>"See you tomorrow, Kirby."</p><p>The puff left the room, likely to go say goodbye to his mentor.</p><p>Shortly after that, Sailor Dee knocked on his door.</p><p>"Um...I'm sorry to ask, but..." he fidgeted a bit. "Can you help me with dinner? I'm really sorry for asking you but..."</p><p>"It's not a problem. I'm sure you enjoy the company."</p><p>The Dee seemed to squeal with glee upon hearing that, grabbing his hand and running off with him.</p><hr/><p>The young man was tired the next time he returned to his room. While he honestly enjoyed helping Sailor Dee make dinner for the rest of the crew, it tired him out more than usual, possibly due to the combination of the pirate attack and having to run during the Gourmet Race. Overall, today was a long day and all he wanted to do was rest right now.</p><p>Shortly after he laid down on his bed, he heard Chamber speak up. <em>"<span class="u">Ensign Ledo, incoming message. The encryption is only used by the Galactic Alliance."</span></em></p><p>The young man turned pale. "Can you figure out what or who sent it?"</p><p><span class="u"><em>"The signal is similar to that from X3752 Striker." </em></span>The Striker? That could only mean one thing.</p><p>"Commander…Kugel…"</p><p>There was only one person who had that specific unit number: Ledo's unit leader and direct superior in the Galactic Alliance, Lieutenant Colonel Kugel. During the battle that triggered the chain of events that led him to Popstar, Kugel had tried to fight off some of the attacking Hideauze to allow Ledo to retreat to the ship and prepare to warp back with the rest of their unit. However, they were both swarmed by the attacking Hideauze, causing them to fall into the wormhole. The chain reaction that Magolor theorized probably happened after that, which led them to landing in Dreamland. It seems that if he wanted to escape from the Alliance's clutches, it would be harder than he imagined. Something about them continued to loom over him like a dark cloud. He had to get rid of it.</p><p>Maybe…if he could talk Kugel into becoming a citizen of Dreamland…?</p><p>No, that wouldn't be possible. He's probably too set in his ways.</p><p>But, there's no harm in trying, is there?</p><hr/><p>Ledo quietly entered the inner hanger at 1 AM. He looked around to make sure that no one was there, and behind him to make sure no one was following him. Having someone see him was the last thing the ensign wanted. Chamber had left a message on the Halberd's computer explaining the situation. All he would have to do is open the hatch and leave. There was a heavy feeling in his heart. Although he was only on this ship for a few weeks, he had begun to feel more of a sense of belonging here than he ever did while he was a soldier in the Alliance. However, there was still something within him that told him to return to Kugel's command. It grabbed onto him and wouldn't let go. This was the only option he could think of to stop it. He pushed a few buttons and the hanger hatch began to open. Moonlight poured in, covering the whole hanger in a pale blue light.</p><p>"Ensign Ledo?"</p><p>He jumped a bit. He turned around to see that it was, of course, Meta Knight.</p><p>"What are you doing up so late?" he inquired.</p><p>"I could ask you the same thing."</p><p>"I was taking a walk since I was having a hard time falling asleep."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe that is an ineffective way to trigger the sleep process." </em> </span>
</p><p>The knight gave a sigh "What about you, Ensign?"</p><p>As much as Ledo didn't want to tell him, it would probably be better to tell him in person. "Chamber received a message from my superior in the Galactic Alliance. As much as I want to just ignore it, I just get this feeling that I have to go back. Like something over me is telling me to go back. I feel like this is the only way for me to say goodbye to my past."</p><p>"I…see…" the knight's eyes briefly flickered orange before returning to their normal yellow. "Well, ultimately, it was your decision if you wanted to stay. If you want to go back, I won't stop you." His voice sounded a bit strained while saying that.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, this isn't goodbye forever. Just for now." The ensign gave a sad smile, hoping he would understand.</p><p>"Very well..." He seemed to be disoriented, as if he was still getting over the shock of what was said. He then turned around, as if he was about to walk off. "Ensign, please, take this."</p><p>The young man turned around and caught a grey gauntleted glove. "Lord Meta Knight, is this...?"</p><p>"It's a spare glove I carry. Keep it as a reminder of this: no matter where you go, you will always be part of my crew."</p><p>The ensign looked down at it. "Thank you, but...could I wear it?"</p><p>"Try to put it on."</p><p>Upon doing as he was asked, it suddenly adjusted itself to fit to Ledo's right hand. "How did it...?"</p><p>"The material is magic, like my cape. It changes its shape to match the wearer."</p><p>Something about that phrase was quite peculiar. He had recalled the knight's striking resemblance to Kirby. If that's the case and the glove changes to match the wearer, would that mean Meta Knight has actual hands under his gloves, or does have stubs like Kirby and he uses additional magecraft to give that illusion? He could try to pry into it, but after what happened with his mask, he might just continue to leave that a mystery.</p><p>"I know what you're thinking, and I do not like it." The blue puff suddenly uttered.</p><p>"I'm not going to pry this time."</p><p>The knight nodded, giving a slight sigh of relief.</p><p>They should stop postponing this.</p><p>Ledo stepped into the mech's hand.</p><p>"…may the light of Nova always protect you, ensign."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>The hand raised the young man up to Chamber's cockpit, allowing him to enter. Shortly afterwards, the robot's gravity engine activated, floating slowly into the sky. Thankfully, the blue puff remembered to hold on to the railing, as he had begun to feel himself being pulled upwards by the change in gravity.</p><p>As he watched the mech fade into the distance, Meta Knight began to wish that what had just occurred was all a dream that he hadn't woken up from yet.</p><p>Unfortunately, he knew in his heart that wasn't the case.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for those of you expecting a detailed description of what happened during the Gourmet Race. I honestly feel that making such a thing interesting without repeating several phrases would be a bit difficult.</p><p>It looks like a lot more people have been enjoying this story, and I'm extremely grateful for that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Isle of Ambition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 14: Isle of Ambition</strong>
</p><p>"META-SENSEEEIIIIIIIIIII!" Kirby yelled as he ran through the Halberd.</p><p>"YO, META KNIGHT! WHERE ARE YA!" Dedede followed up.</p><p>"WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU!"</p><p>Just as they were about to pass the door to the dining room, the door was slid open by Sailor Dee.</p><p>"AHHHH! You're hurting my ears, please keep it down!"</p><p>"AH!" Kirby skidded to a stop, with Dedede and Bandana nearly tripping over him. "Yo, <span>why d'ya</span> stop, ya pink lump?! I'm runnin' here…!" He looked in the same direction that Kirby was looking in to see Meta Knight sitting there, back turned to the door.</p><p>"Ah!" Upon noticing where they were looking, Sailor Dee quickly tried to close the door, but Bandana Dee and Dedede used their collective strength to push it back open, wrecking it in the process. Sailor could only faintly whimper at the wrecked door as the group walked over to Meta Knight.</p><p>"Yo, MK, the heck's goin' on here? We were callin' for ya! Why you not respondin'?"</p><p>There was no response. Upon reaching where he was sitting, he was clearly eating some kind of sundae. Vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, cherry. Kirby recognized it immediately: a dame blanche.</p><p>"I thought you preferred to keep your sweet tooth secret…" Bandana Dee spoke up. He didn't even look at them.</p><p>"Oi! Meta Knight! We're talkin' to ya! At least say somethin'!"</p><p>"Don't worry about it." He suddenly spoke up.</p><p>"Meta-sensei…you're upset about something, aren't you?"</p><p>Upon hearing Kirby finish that sentence, the knight froze. "What makes you say that?" he uttered.</p><p>"You wouldn't be eating that sundae otherwise."</p><p>His mentor was silent.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry, Lord Meta Knight! I tried to keep them out like you asked, but they're too strong!" Sailor Dee bowed beside him, more noticeably on edge than he normally seemed to be. That was another dead giveaway to the pink puff.</p><p>"…I need another one…"</p><p>"R-right away, sir!" the Waddle Dee ran into the kitchen, leaving the rest of the group with him.</p><p>"Why are you here anyway?" he questioned, not even turning to look at them.</p><p>"I don't know why Dedede and Bandana are here, but I'm here to check on Ledo! I know he said he'd be fine but after how he was acting two days ago, I still can't help but worry!"</p><p>"Oi, whaddya mean ya don't know! I-…" Dedede paused for a moment before clearing his throat "Bandana wanted to check on him as well, so I thought that I should accompany him, as a good king should be worried about his subjects!"</p><p>"Bandana told me you had a hard time sleeping last night because you were so worried about him…"</p><p>"CAN IT, YOU PINK LUMP!"</p><p>"Either way, we looked around the ship and base and we couldn't find a sign of him or Chamber. Did something happen with them, Meta Knight?" Bandana questioned.</p><p>"Nothing happened."</p><p>Tension rose in the room as the other three slowly grew angrier. The knight had a bad habit of hiding his problems and bottling up his emotions. While he isn't nearly as bad with it as he used to be, it's still a habit he tended to fall into. If they were going to get anything out of him, they would just have to put pressure on him.</p><p>"Meta-sensei, if you're eating that, you're clearly not fine!"</p><p>"I just felt like eating a dame blanche."</p><p>"You liar! You never ever eat it unless you're upset!"</p><p>"I like a change of pace..."</p><p>"YA NEED ME TO BEAT IT OUTTA YA!?"</p><p>"It's nothing, now please leave."</p><p>"Why can't you just tell us where Ledo and Chamber are?"</p><p>"FOR NOVA'S SAKE, THEY AREN'T HERE ANYMORE!" the three of them flinched back at the knight's sudden outburst.</p><p>"…Meta-sensei?"</p><p>His mentor gave a slight gasp, as if realizing he had lost his temper, and pulled out a small jar from his cape.</p><p>"They…left this morning…" he popped a lemon drop into his mouth.</p><p>"Eh? Why'd they do that?"</p><p>The blue puff heaved a heavy sigh as he returned the small jar to his cape subspace.</p><p>"Ledo received a message from his superior in the Galactic Alliance last night. He was having a hard time trying to block it from his mind and left with Chamber to meet his superior and hopefully say goodbye to his past. He said he'd come back, but…"</p><p>"You're still worried about him because it could be days, weeks, months, or even years?"</p><p>"Correct. I…I thought I had mentally prepared myself enough in case this happened." He gave a half-hearted laugh "Clearly, I was wrong…"</p><p>"UNACCEPTABLE!" Everyone flinched upon hearing Dedede yell that. "That damn princess and his tin can! How dare they leave this here country without my permission! MY permission! Don't they know that's a capital offense! That means tons o' community service for 'em!" He turned towards the door. "Just wait 'til I get there, princess! Imma drag you back 'ere and yer gonna finish your sentence, ya hear?!" as he stomped out of the kitchen, he was followed by a panicking Bandana Dee.</p><p>"GREAT KING! I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, BUT NOW ISN'T THE TIME!"</p><p>That left the pink puff and his mentor.</p><p>"…Meta-sensei…"</p><p>Noticing Kirby's tone, the knight opened his cape slightly, not even flinching when the child abruptly launched himself onto him. He placed a hand on top of him as if to give reassurance upon noticing his trembling. When Sailor Dee brought another sundae over, he could hear the pink puff quietly sobbing as his mentor solemnly continued to eat.</p><hr/><p>The location that Ledo and Chamber were guided to was foggy and bleak. The fog that was over the area didn't hinder their vision, but it helped to emphasize the eeriness of the area. Their blonde-haired priestess guide had told them that this area was Volcano Valley, a place where a great battle had been fought. There were also several graveyards and a dark mansion, but those were on a different part of the island. Right now, there was nothing but a jungle or city of metal, full of people in hooded robes. Upon their arrival, the people had been standing in a strange formation. Chamber commented that it was probably a collective action that showed the unity of their group. That clearly meant Kugel had taken command of the locals. They had also addressed him as a messenger from the sky. That was particularly unusual to him, but that was more than likely also was one of the organization tactics used to show unity.</p><p>"Ledo?" He heard a voice and activated his communicator.</p><p>"Commander Kugel? Is that you?" A video call initiated. Indeed, the person looking back at him was Kugel.</p><p>"Long time no see, Ledo. Glad to see you're doing well."</p><p>"Likewise, Commander."</p><p>"I picked up your distress signal, but I was on the other side of the planet. I would've contacted you earlier, but I had to keep radio silence. I hope you don't mind, but could you ask that priestess to guide you to me?"</p><p>"Yes, sir. Ensign Ledo will now return to Kugel squadron."</p><p>The call cut off, and Ledo wanted to hit his head against a wall but opted to facepalm instead. Why did he say that?! He had no intention of returning to the Alliance, let alone serving Kugel, so why?!</p><p>"Are you ok?" the priestess beside him asked.</p><p>"I... I'm fine..."</p><p>He then noticed that she appeared to be looking at his hand. It took him a moment to realize that the hand covering his face was his right one. The hand he wore the gauntleted glove on.</p><p>"You wouldn't happen to know someone named Meta Knight, would you?" she questioned after a brief pause.</p><p>"Yes... I... served him on the Halberd before coming here... do you know him?"</p><p>"Yes, it's a long story that I can tell you at a later point. Why did you come here? Did you have a debt you need to repay as well?"</p><p>"...you could say that. I came here in an attempt to move on from my past."</p><p>"Then you intend to return to the Halberd?"</p><p>"That's correct."</p><p>"You mentioned something about moving on from your past. I assume you and Kugel are connected?" There was a slight indifference about the way she said his name, a sharp contrast to the high reverence the other robed creatures said it.</p><p>"That's correct. He was my superior."</p><p>"I see. Now, believe that he mentioned that he wished for me to guide you to him. Please follow me."</p><p>"Thank you, Miss...?" he then realized he never got her name.</p><p>"Zan Partizanne." She replied.</p><p>"Miss Zan Partizanne, thank you." She nodded and began to guide him towards a large building. On top of said building, lit by a spotlight underneath, he could see Striker staring down over the city.</p><hr/><p>Upon entering the building, he was guided through a few doors until he entered a dining room. It was ornately decorated, and it appeared that there was a meal already prepared for him. But there was something else that drew his attention: a large mirror mounted on the wall. Curiously, Ledo stepped towards it, stopping just in front of it.</p><p><em>"I didn't think he'd have something like this..." </em>he thought.</p><p>He was about to reach out and touch it, but he could then feel an overwhelmingly dangerous presence emanate from the mirror. It was so hostile that he could feel every instinct, every fiber of his being screaming at him to get away from it now.</p><p>"Hello, Ensign Ledo."</p><p>He managed to suppress the fact that he was startled by the holographic appearance of Kugel.</p><p>"Commander Kugel!"</p><p>"Please, take a seat."</p><p>The ensign sat at the head of the table, with Zan sitting to his right side.</p><p>"Pardon my use of a hologram."</p><p>"It's great to see that you're alive and well on this planet!" While he didn't exactly plan on returning to Kugel's command, he still felt a bit of relief that his former commander was supposedly safe.</p><p>"I wish. I was infected by an endemic disease and am now unable to leave my sterilized cockpit. How are you doing?"</p><p>Hearing that made the young man thankful that Bio Gale forced him to undergo all those vaccinations before properly working on the ship.</p><p>"I am having no such problems, sir."</p><p>"What a relief. It's quite a pain needing to issue orders from here. Having you around here will make things a lot easier."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Chamber K6821 to Striker X3752. I request information about the aforementioned endemic disease."</em> </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Striker X3752 to Chamber K6821. Request acknowledged. Transferring data."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Sir, about that mirror on the wall..."</p><p>"That was a gift from the people. Not sure where it came from, but I believe it helps pull together this room well."</p><p>That mirror was a gift? Why would he accept something that had such a malicious aura to it? However, that question was for another time. There was something else on his mind. He didn't like thinking about that incident two days ago, but...</p><p>"Sir...? Did you know that the Hideauze are humans?"</p><p>"<span class="u">Former</span> humans." Kugel had an unamused expression on his face.</p><p>"Sir, did you know about that?"</p><p>"It wasn't discussed, even in the upper ranks and considered unneeded information for those fighting on the frontlines. They cannot be called humans because they are driven by hunger and base instincts. The strong and the weak support each other with reason. They contribute in their own way to the formation of society. Such is what it means to be human."</p><p>"While that may be true but..."</p><p>"I have brought order to this island. The average well-being of the people here has risen."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I request the definition of "well-being" in this context."</em> </span>
</p><p>The feminine-sounding AI Striker was the one to answer that question. <span class="u"><em>"The definition of "well-being" is that of the Galactic Alliance's. In this case, "well-being" is defined as the state in which cost-benefit performance of the individual's contribution to the community is maximized. Therefore, well-being correlates directly with the stability of command."</em></span></p><p>There was a pause before Chamber responded, <em>"<span class="u">I agree with this definition and conclusion."</span></em></p><p>"Chamber...?"</p><p>"So, what do you say? Would you like to change this world with me, Ledo?"</p><p>Upon looking up from the communication device on his collar, he nearly jumped back. He could've sworn he saw something...off...about the holographic Kugel, especially in his mouth. Like...something that shouldn't be there was there.</p><p>"I request that you allow him to think about it. This is quite a lot to process for one day. I feel it would be better to give him time to think and let him start to get used to his surroundings." Zan spoke up.</p><p>"Very well. I apologize, but would you mind if he stayed with you?"</p><p>"Not at all."</p><p>"You have my greatest thanks."</p><p>As the hologram deactivated, Ledo slowly began to piece together what the "off" thing was.</p><p>It was an eye.</p><p>An eye had appeared in his mouth for a brief moment.</p><hr/><p>With Zan Partizanne's guidance, Ledo parked Chamber just outside a small two-story structure.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Virus data analysis complete. Commencing medical examination... examination complete. No abnormalities detected."</em> </span>
</p><p>While he wasn't sure what disease had infected Kugel, Ledo had a feeling that he should thank Bio Gale when he returned to the Halberd.</p><p>"Honestly, I'm surprised the Lieutenant Colonel was able to rule this island from such a tight spot." Ledo sighed. He was sure that he wouldn't be able to do that if he was in the same situation. He had slept in his cockpit upon arriving here due to how late at night it was, and it was uncomfortable after sleeping in a bed for a few weeks.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Perhaps Commander Kugel's withdrawal into his cockpit provoked feelings of awe from the people and had the added effect of turning him into a symbol. This likely led to his strong influence over them."</em> </span>
</p><p>"So he's relying on the idea that people fear what they can't see? Is keeping people constantly afraid like that really a good idea?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Fear is the most primal animal reaction. Those who oppose him are aware that fear is the root of his authority, and know that nevertheless, it provides peace and safety to those who obey him."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's true, but still..."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"In the battle against enemies, rule through force has been concluded to be effective. It enables the mobilization of a large number of personnel and the maintenance of a strong and responsive community. Furthermore..."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Enough, Chamber." He put his head in his hands. "Maybe I should've never left the cockpit either..."</p><p>There was a slamming sound from outside Chamber.</p><p>"Chamber, what was that?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "It appears someone is attempting to damage the craft." </em> </span>
</p><p>On the screen was a red-haired girl with a hat punching Chamber's foot. "Damn you piece of junk! It's because of you we..."</p><p>"Flamberge, inside." The person that Zan Partizanne addressed at Flamberge grumbled to herself as she stomped into the house. Upon seeing that scene, the young man opened the cockpit and looked down at the priestess.</p><p>"Japologa, Ledo. She's a bit short tempered..."</p><p>"Ja…pologa?" That was a word he never heard before.</p><p>"Oh, it means "I'm sorry" in the Jambastion language." Jambastion? That's something he never heard of before.</p><p>"Chamber, do we have any data on that?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative. The word "Jambastion" is not in my database."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Even though you worked for Meta Knight? That's quite surprising." She seemed to think for a moment. "Oh, would you like to come inside? I'm sure you're hungry since you didn't eat the food that was offered to you."</p><p>The ensign nodded and allowed himself to be lowered down by Chamber. Upon reaching the ground, Zan stepped closer to him.</p><p>"There are also some other things I'd like to talk about, but we must do it inside."</p><p>He nodded in response. He wasn't sure what she wanted to discuss, perhaps she was giving him a chance to ask her all those questions he had possibly been thinking about earlier.</p><hr/><p>The home was simple with a dining table, a kitchen, and two sofas. There was a set of stairs that led upstairs, but those would likely lead to the bedrooms and bathroom. It had an almost makeshift feel, as if this was temporary housing. Off in the corner was the red-haired girl from earlier punching a wall. The indents she was making were starting to become more and more visible, as if this was something she was doing often.</p><p>"Flamberge, stop. I know we don't plan on living here permanently, but that doesn't give you the right to destroy it out of anger."</p><p>The girl grumbled under her breath until she saw Ledo. "Why the hell did you let him inside?!"</p><p>"I'd like to discuss a few things over lunch with him."</p><p>"WHAT THINGS?! If he's working with the dirtbag running this island, I want him out! Don't you remember!? That guy's the reason we're stuck here in the first place!"</p><p>That was a revelation he didn't expect.</p><p>"He worked for Kugel in the past, but he said he currently works for Meta Knight and intends to return to the Halberd."</p><p>"This kid!? Working for that Meta Knight guy?! I'll believe it when I see it!"</p><p>Zan grabbed Ledo's right hand and pulled him towards her to show Flamberge the gauntlet glove.</p><p>"…what's this?"</p><p>"Oh…isn't that a glove from one of Kirby's friends?" a voice from the kitchen asked. The young man looked over to see a blue-haired girl walking towards him.</p><p>"Francisca, you ought to be careful! There's no telling what he'll do to you…" the girl who was addressed as Francisca only took the gloved hand and examined it.</p><p>"…this is one of Meta Knight's gloves. I remember him being not very sociable, so if this kid has one of his gloves, I think we can trust him."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I can provide further proof if you require it." </em> </span>
</p><p>Flamberge only gave a huff "Well, if Francisca is fine with you being here, I guess I'll tolerate you…but allow me to make this clear: you harm a single hair on her head and I'LL TORCH YOU!"</p><p>"U-understood…I do not intend to harm her…"</p><p>The mage huffed again, this time in a more satisfactory tone, as if she approved of that response.</p><p>"Well, now that we've settled that matter, I'll go make lunch. You four can sit at the table and chat for a bit." Zan stepped into the kitchen while saying that.</p><p>"Four?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe she is referring to me as the fourth person."</em> </span>
</p><p>That seemed to trigger realization in the blue priestess. "Ah, I don't believe we've introduced each other. Bonjam, my name is Francisca, and this is Flamberge. Lord Hyness also lives here, but he is asleep upstairs right now. Now, what is your name?" Ledo didn't speak for a moment, curious about the meaning of that unknown word she said at the beginning.</p><p>"My name is Ensign Ledo, formerly of the Galactic Alliance, currently of the Meta-Knights."</p><p>"What about metalhead outside?" Flamberge questioned.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"My name is Chamber. I am an autonomous pilot support system. Like Ensign Ledo, I am also currently allied with the Meta-Knights."</em> </span>
</p><p>The blue sister crossed her arms as if to think. "Well, I've never heard of the Galactic Alliance, but we at least know your current affiliation. Guess that's why Ms. Par brought you back here."</p><p>"There's more to that, but he can explain that to you." She called from the kitchen.</p><p>The blue sister gave a nod "Why don't we take a seat? Then you and Chamber can tell us about why you came to this island."</p><p>The ensign nodded and joined them.</p><hr/><p>"Is that so? You wanted to say goodbye to your past, but you're having trouble doing that ever since you came here?"</p><p>Ledo took a drink of water. "That's correct."</p><p>Flamberge sighed "You sure that isn't just because you're being a coward? Just tell that Kugel guy to his face that you don't want to work for him anymore!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe the ensign has established that such a thing is easier said than done to him." </em> </span>
</p><p>The young man wished that the root of his problem was just mere cowardice, since he could more easily fix that. It ran deeper than that. Perhaps the phrase would be "deep rooted conditioning to obey his superiors"? The Alliance was the first group he served regardless of who he worked for now, and they had conditioned him to follow through with their orders at any cost. Authority through fear. It's just like what Kugel is doing on this island. Not only that, but it also brought to mind what Meta Knight mentioned about his plan to force the citizens of Dreamland to give up their lifestyle and fight. Speaking of which, what would he do if he was in this situation?</p><p>"Quit looking so solemn. Here, have some curry rice."</p><p>A plate of rice paired with vegetables and meat in sauce was placed in front of him. He recognized the dish instantly as something that Sailor Dee made for him before.</p><p>"Ah, thank you..."</p><p>"Jamanke, Ms. Zan!"</p><p>"Wait! Wait! Hold up! You intend to give my Francisca something this spicy?!"</p><p>"I only used enough to give it a mild flavor since I'm not sure about Ledo's taste in spicy food. If you want something hotter, you'll have to add it yourself."</p><p>"Oh, then that's fine." She stood up to the table and ran into the kitchen.</p><p>"Considering what happened in the past, it's a bit hypocritical for Ms. Flamberge to say that." Francisca uttered with a low voice.</p><p>The young man took a spoonful of the rice and food and ate it. While it tasted good, it wasn't nearly as delicious as the curry rice that Sailor Dee made. It only made him want to return even more. That reminds him of a question he had been meaning to ask these three.</p><p>"You three seem to know Meta Knight. Do you know Kirby as well?"</p><p>The trio immediately turned to him.</p><p>"We do. Didn't we tell you?" Francisca asked.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "You did not." </em> </span>
</p><p>Zan sighed "Long story short, we fought Kirby about two years ago. Back then, Lord Hyness, the head of the Jambastion religion, wanted to resurrect Void, a god that he believed invited him to a new, peaceful land. The Jambastion religion was formed around this idea. To do this, he planned to resurrect Void as Void Termina and destroy the universe."</p><p>"Why would he want to destroy the universe?!"</p><p>"To avenge his clan for being forgotten by history, I believe he said. To resurrect Void, we obtained the Jamba Heart that served as its vessel and Hyness accidently shattered it when he wanted to break the seal. He also broke the Heart Spears that had been used by the four heroes ages ago to seal it. We then had to go all around the universe to gather the fragments of the Jamba Heart, some of which landed on Planet Popstar. Kirby was hit by the fragments of the Heart Spears, allowing him to use the Friend Heart ability to purify those corrupted by the Jamba Heart. King Dedede and Meta Knight were two that had been hit by the Jamba Heart fragments. From what Kirby said, that was quite interesting."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: what does the Jamba Heart do to people who are possessed by them?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"It exaggerates a person's worst qualities. For Dedede, it was apparently greed. For Meta Knight, it was apparently vanity."</p><p>While Ledo wanted to be surprised about the knight's worst quality being vanity, he tended to unintentionally drop hints that pointed to that. It began to make him think what traits would be dredged up if he had been possessed by one of those fragments. Hopefully he would never have to find out.</p><p>"Well, to continue on, we fought Kirby several times individually and Kirby defeated the resurrected Void Termina. After that, we fought him and his friends again and he used the power of the Friend Heart to free us from our corruption. That's how we became friends with Kirby!" after Zan's lecture, the young man had more questions about everything than answers.</p><p>"So…Kirby defeated a being that you considered a god?" he gave a nervous laugh.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>He could only shovel another spoonful of curry into his mouth. The more he thought about it, the more that Kirby's brief emotional breakdown upon mentioning Void made sense. But he also mentioned something about Void having his face.</p><p>"Do you know what this god of yours looked like?"</p><p>"You'll have to ask Lord Hyness about it, I don't remember too much."</p><p>Well, that went nowhere.</p><p>"Why are you three here? Does it have to do with a debt?"</p><p>Flamberge slammed a bottom of hot sauce on the table. "Why are we here?! Why ARE WE HERE?! You see, we came here while looking for the paradise that Hyness envisioned, and you KNOW. WHAT. HAPPENED?! BLOB CYCLOPSES HAPPENED, THAT'S WHAT!"</p><p>"You mean Dark Matter, Ms. Flamberge?"</p><p>"EXACTLY! We were attacked by Dark Matter blobs and had to hide here with no contact to the outside world!" she slammed herself into the chair upon finishing her rant.</p><p>Zan cleared her throat. "What Flamberge was trying to say is that we had been traveling to hopefully find the paradise that Lord Hyness envisioned but were attacked by blobs of Dark Matter. We managed to fight some of them off, but we were clearly outnumbered. That was when Kugel and Striker assisted us. In exchange for helping to run this city, he would guarantee our protection from them. That was the debt I needed to pay. All of that happened almost a month ago."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: is this the reason you have not left the city?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's correct. I always repay my debts. However, after some of the things I've been seeing while walking around the city, I don't think I can do that any longer." She took a drink of water.</p><p>"What sorts of things have you been seeing? And…wait, didn't Kirby say he defeated Dark Matter?"</p><p>Zan turned to the window. The fog that constantly loomed over the city had not vanished. "It would be better if you see it for yourself. It should be raining soon."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not understand the correlation between those two things."</em> </span>
</p><p>"You'll understand when I show it to you. And about Dark Matter? Traces of it could still exist in the universe, so that's likely how it came here."</p><p>Flamberge slammed her spoon on the table, indicating that she had finished her meal. "Yeah, but the MAIN reason is the fact that we can't contact the outside! I mean, Kirby gave us cell phones for times like this, but mine broke, Francisca's was lost somewhere, and Zan can't get any service here!"</p><p>"Isn't the other reason because Striker and Kugel could intercept it?" Francisca questioned.</p><p>"That, too."</p><p>Zan continued to look out the window. "Ledo, please finish your meal soon. It would be best if we're outside when it starts."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: why is rainfall so significant?"</em> </span>
</p><p>She sighed when she turned to look at him. "Seeing the ritual that is performed at rainfall will break all the hesitation you have in your heart. At least, that is what I believe."</p><p>A ritual? That motivated the young man to finish his meal quickly. If this ritual she talked about will truly break this feeling of hesitation he keeps having, he needs to see it as soon as possible.</p><hr/><p>Even in the afternoon, the same gloomy fog covered the city. Though there was no indication to think otherwise, he thought it would raise a bit. Strangely, he could still very easily follow Zan through the city.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Zan Partizanne, I believe you had already mentioned that this specific island is known as Volcano Valley. Before landing here, I have noted that there appear to be a few other islands in this area. Is Kugel aware of them?"</em></span> Chamber spoke up.</p><p>"He's aware of them, all right. They're also part of this territory."</p><p>"So this island and those other three are all one area?"</p><p>"Correct. I believe the locals call this archipelago the "Popopo Islands". They say it's named after a legendary hero who lived in Dreamland long ago. Records describe him as looking quite similar to Kirby, hence why those who live on the islands have dubbed Kirby "the Second Coming of Popopo". Of course, the existence of Popopo might all be fiction, since this was likely centuries ago, but no one can prove otherwise."</p><p>Well, there was nothing else to do but wait for the rain to start, so the young man thought he might as well talk to her about the archipelago.</p><p>"Have you been to the other islands?"</p><p>"Yes. The one island is a giant grassy field, the other is a desert, and the third is a tropical paradise with a snowy mountain as well. They're all nice in their own way, I think. Admittedly, the tropical paradise is a bit tacky since Dedede turned it into a summer resort. Especially the castle he built there, that was beyond tacky. But outside of that, it's a good place to play games, relax on a beach, and ski if you really wanted."</p><p>The young man wasn't surprised by that. Making a tacky island resort did sound like something that Dedede would do.</p><p>"Did Kugel order it to be torn down yet?"</p><p>"Actually, no. He's been too busy organizing this island to worry about it."</p><p>The ensign looked up at the sky. Looking at the dark clouds above him made him turn back to his question about rainfall ritual. What was the ritual that happened when it rained and why was Zan being so secretive about it?</p><p>"How long do you think it'll be before it rains?"</p><p>Zan looked up at the sky as well. "It should start soon. I can feel it."</p><p>Now that she said it, he can start to feel it as well.</p><p>The air had a scent of humidity to it, something that not only reminded him of Meta Knight's base in Orange Ocean, but also of the few times he had been outside before it started to rain. He and Chamber had first experienced precipitation while on the Halberd. At that time, he had been caught in a sudden downpour while working on the ship's second main cannon. He didn't know how to react to it and continued his maintenance duties. Not long after that decision, Meta Knight returned to the ship after a training session with Kirby and he was extremely annoyed about getting soaked while on his return flight to the ship. He then became angered by the fact that, in his words, Ledo didn't have the common sense to go inside the ship when it started to rain. Thankfully, the situation calmed down when Sailor Dee made them some soup while the duo waited for their armor and pilot suit to dry.</p><p>Ledo was shaken out of that pleasant memory when he heard a familiar squeaking sound. He turned his head towards the sound and noticed a familiar yellow mouse blob watching him from an alleyway. Before he could react, it hopped away before disappearing into the shadows.</p><p>"Was that…a Squeaker?" he vaguely remembered the name of Daroach's henchmen.</p><p>"A Squeaker?" Zan turned around to ask him, but then noticed that whatever he was looking at was gone.</p><p>That was when he felt a drop of water land on his head. Then another. And another.</p><p>"Come with me, quickly." Zan grabbed his wrist and dragged him behind her.</p><p>He detected a feeling of urgency in her voice upon hearing her say that.</p><hr/><p>The location Zan dragged him was a city square with a large abyss-like hole in the center. Rain continued to beat down.</p><p>"What's going on here?"</p><p>"The ritual should happen in a bit. Just keep watching."</p><p>Shortly after uttering that, a group of blindfolded people in robes were guided along the edges of where the abyss was. The people that stood before the edges looked weak or sickly, with a few being unable to stand. The young man already didn't like where this was going. To his shock, the blindfolded people were pushed suddenly into the abyss, sinking slowly into what appeared to be a mass of dark, blackness. That was when he saw it. A singular, unblinking eye appeared within the abyss. It felt like it was staring at him and filled him with dread. Shortly after, the eye closed, disappearing into the blackness. Overwhelmed by what he had witnessed, Ledo collapsed to his knees.</p><p>"What…was that…?"</p><p>"Stare too long into that abyss and eventually, that abyss will stare back."</p><p>"That doesn't answer my question!"</p><p>"Those considered too sick or weak to the rest of the community are thrown into that abyss."</p><p>It was just like what the Galactic Alliance did. Only the strong have the privilege of living.</p><p>"And…that thing at the bottom?"</p><p>"Dark Matter."</p><p>He was shocked. "Is that really Dark Matter?!"</p><p>"Do you remember what I told you? Trace amounts of Dark Matter may still exist in the universe. Perhaps Striker picked up some of it when landing here."</p><p>That explanation made sense.</p><p>"There was another reason I wanted to show you this. Now that you're here, Kugel is planning to annex a much bigger place to his territory. A place much bigger."</p><p>Ledo took a moment to process what she had said.</p><p>"You can't mean...!"</p><p>"In other words, his next target is Dreamland."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The plot thickens.</p><p>I'd like to say I'm sure no one expected the Mage Sisters to show up, but I feel like the "Post-Star Allies" note gave that away.</p><p>Omake (Bonus):</p><p>Hyness: Back in my day we didn't use phones, we used satanic rituals!</p><p>Zan Par: Lord Hyness, you're not supposed to appear in this chapter!</p><p>Ledo: Is such a communication method really that effective, Chamber?</p><p>Chamber: Negative, ensign.</p><p>Hyness: What!? Sorry, I can't hear you over my magic circle!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Moment of Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 15: Moment of Decision</strong>
</p><p>Ledo and Zan Partizanne began the walk home in silence.</p><p>"…how can you be so sure that he'll invade Dreamland next?" the young man finally spoke up.</p><p>"What else do you think he meant when he asked "would you like to change this world with me"? That seems to be the only logical conclusion to me, even if I wasn't one of his lead advisors." She replied matter-of-factly. "Besides, when he discussed it, he talked about it as "missionary work". Missionaries are people who travel around to spread their religious teachings. And, other than the Rainbow Islands, there's nowhere left on Popstar to invade but Dreamland and Floria."</p><p>The ensign stopped walking for a moment to think. "Maybe I could convince him to not do it…"</p><p>"Francisca and Flamberge already tried that. That's why they almost never leave the house. Admittedly, it's also because Flamberge was being Flamberge and tried to attack him and Striker because his response upset Francisca. You can try to dissuade him yourself, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you." Zan gave another sigh, as if she was disappointed that she had to explain all of this. "Honestly, I thought you'd easily change your mind if I showed you what was really going on, but it seems you're just utterly hopeless..."</p><p>The young man frowned at her slight insulting tone as she continued to walk away. Sure, there was a chance that he'd be rejected, but he can't lose anything by trying, right?</p><hr/><p>Ledo entered the same large building that he was guided to by Zan Partizanne just a few hours earlier. He went up the same staircase from earlier and walked into a different large room. It reminded him slightly of the throne room he saw at Castle Dedede, but it was much larger than that. It was likely because at the end of the room sat Striker, with several hooded people alongside the throne. They were likely worshippers or advisors. The young man continued to walk forward until he stood before the Machine Caliber.</p><p>"Lieutenant Colonel." He paused for a moment, as if thinking about what wording he should use. "Someone has informed me that you plan on attacking the rest of Dreamland. Could you refrain from doing so?"</p><p>There was a moment of silence in the room.</p><p>"Did Zan Partizanne inform you of this?"</p><p>"She did. She said that you called it "missionary work"."</p><p>"It is missionary work. So why should we refrain from attacking the rest of Dreamland?"</p><p>The young man paused to think of a reason. "Because..."</p><p>"If you wish to help them, then hasten our missionary work."</p><p>This time, Ledo couldn't hide his shock.</p><p>"Let us turn them into useful resources for the sake of this planet's prosperity!"</p><p>"But...!"</p><p>"Ledo, our duty is to bring a new order to this planet."</p><p>"That's no different from the Galactic Alliance..." It was no different from what Meta Knight said about the Haltmann Works company either, but he didn't say that aloud.</p><p>"If we are unable to reunite with our fleet, we shall turn this planet into our own utopia, a second Avalon." He could only grit his teeth in response. "Our legitimacy remains unchanged. Falter not."</p><p>He further gritted his teeth. Zan Par was right. "...yes, sir." The tone he used was unidentifiable. It was neither compliant nor rejecting, enough so Kugel didn't think twice about it. Not that it mattered anymore.</p><hr/><p>Upon Ledo's return to the home, Zan Partizanne was sitting at the table working on a crossword puzzle.</p><p>"Was I right?" she didn't look up from the book.</p><p>The ensign plopped in a chair across from her. "I'm sorry for doubting you. What you said was right..."</p><p>She silently nodded. "So, will you join us?"</p><p>"Join you with what?"</p><p>She appeared to shift in her chair a bit. "We're planning an uprising. We would've done it sooner, but that machine is way too strong for us alone. I'd like to formally ask you for your help."</p><p>He hesitated to answer. "Well, um...this is still a lot to..."</p><p>Zan gave a sigh. "Right, this is probably a lot for you to think about in one day. Just sleep on it then."</p><p>He nodded in response. He hoped that she wasn't subtly insulting him, like her slight tone suggested.</p><hr/><p>Thankfully, Zan gave him permission to sleep inside the house that night, even if it was just on the sofa. While it was comfy, everything that happened today loomed over him. It made it near-impossible to sleep. He stood up, and walked out of the house, stopping in front of Chamber.</p><p>Suddenly, the machine spoke. <span class="u"><em>"</em><em>Orders received from Lieutenant Colonel Kugel: upon daybreak, Ensign Ledo is to begin preparations for combat immediately. Preparations must be completed by the following day."</em></span></p><p>Ledo remained silent. There's no doubt about what that means. Kugel's invasion on Dreamland is going to happen in two days.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I await your decision."</em></span> More silence.</p><p>"My decision, huh? I decide, you execute. That's how it's always been, hasn't it? …truth is, I've never made a single real decision in my life."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The meaning of your words is unclear. The Lieutenant Colonel's orders…"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber! How is your combat potential compared to Strikers?!"</p><p>There was a pause as the mech appeared to be calculating his data. <span class="u"><em>"Cannot be compared due to lack of data. The intent of your query is unclear."</em></span></p><p>He sighed before speaking up again. "Can you fight Striker?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Striker X3752 is currently operating without orders from the Alliance. It can be considered a possible combatant."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I see. In that case, can I fight the lieutenant colonel?" There was more silence. "Answer me, Chamber!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Answering that is beyond my capabilities as a pilot support system. Decisions regarding combat objectives are left to you under all circumstances." </em> </span>
</p><p>A small smile creeped onto his face. "Thank you, Chamber." He turned to enter the house, but a voice stopped him in his tracks.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not understand why you claim that you never made a real decision in your life. Ever since you came to Dreamland, you have made several decisions on your own. For example, it was your decision to accept Meta Knight's offer to join the crew of the Halberd."</em> </span>
</p><p>Ledo honestly didn't know how to respond to that. "I... I'm going to sleep..."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Understood. Good night, Ensign Ledo."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Good night, Chamber." He then walked inside the house.</p><hr/><p>The next morning, Ledo was awakened by a splash of water on his head. He coughed as he had a brief flashback to the time he almost drowned while Kirby and the others were showing him around Dreamland.</p><p>"Oh, good he's awake." He turned to see Flamberge and Francisca standing next to him, the red priestess holding an empty glass of water.</p><p>"Ms. Flamberge, did you need to throw water on him?"</p><p>"Well, how else was I gonna wake him up this quickly?" she shrugged her arms.</p><p>"There are more polite ways to wake people up, you know." He grumbled before hearing the sound of Zan clearing her throat.</p><p>"So have you come to a decision?"</p><p>The young man gazed towards her. "Yes, I have. I plan on fighting the Lieutenant Colonel. I don't know if I can beat him or Striker, but I can't stand what he's doing to the people here."</p><p>The priestess crossed her arms in satisfaction. "Excellent, I like to see that determination. Now with that settled, we share the same goal. For now, I propose a partnership, at least until this all over." She handed the young man a towel to dry his head off.</p><p>"Thank you." His memory recalled what Chamber had said the previous night. "Chamber received a message from Kugel last night that told me to prepare for combat today in preparation for tomorrow."</p><p>The sisters' stared at him in disbelief. "That means…the invasion starts tomorrow!?"</p><p>"The hell!? Are you saying we only got one day to prepare this uprising!?"</p><p>"Unfortunately, yes. I received the same message this morning before you woke up. I assume he pushed it up since Ledo and Chamber are now here." Zan sighed.</p><p>"THAT BASTARD!" Flamberge slammed a fist on the table.</p><p>The ensign shook his head. "If only there was a way to contact the Halberd...we can't use Chamber, since Striker will intercept the message."</p><p>The yellow mage nodded in agreement "Yes, plus Meta Knight would be a great help. Same with Kirby and that chubby penguin." The two sisters laughed at the last statement.</p><p>Ledo's mind recalled the Squeaker he saw yesterday. Then, he remembered what Daroach said about them. "...I think I have an idea. It's a long shot, but it's all I can think of."</p><p>"Well tell us already! We ain't got all day!" Flamberge yelled in impatience.</p><p>"GAAH! WHAT'S WITH THE YELLING! JUH?!"</p><p>There was series of loud thuds as if someone had fallen down the stairs.</p><p>"Ah! Lord Hyness!"</p><p>The young man hopped over the sofa and offered a hand to help him up.</p><p>"JAMBLASTED STAIRS! I WILL SACRIFICE YOU TO OUR DARK LORD! Oh bonjam, young man, have we met?"</p><p>Upon seeing a strange man with cartoonishly large eyes and nose, who seemed to a shift between crazy and calm in an instant, Ledo only had one thought.</p><p>"We haven't yet. My name is Ledo. You're friends with Kirby." This was less of a question and more of general statement. On a subconscious level, the ensign simply couldn't be bothered to be surprised anymore, regardless of how weird this priest seemed on the surface.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "My name is Chamber. I am Ledo's pilot support interface system." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Juh?! You both know Kirby?! That's a relief!" he frantically shook his hand.</p><p>"Yes, Kirby is also our friend."</p><p>"WHAT A WONDERFUL COINCIDENCE! HAPPY DAY! HAPPY DAY!"</p><p>"Lord Hyness, breakfast is ready."</p><p>"Come, now!" He was dragged over to the table by the priest and was plopped in a chair next to him.</p><p>"I made you an omelet, Ledo, I hope that's fine."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"Jamanke for the meal, Zan Par!" Hyness rejoiced as he dug in.</p><p>"Ah, you are most welcome!" she gave a polite smile.</p><p>"GAAAAAAAAH! IT'S SO HOT BUT SO DELICIOUS!"</p><p>Ledo looked over at the plate to see what he was eating. "...Hyness, what's that?"</p><p>"Oh, it's mapo tofu, young man."</p><p>"Mapo what?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It appears to be an extremely spicy dish."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I can see that, but why would you eat something like this so early in the morning?"</p><p>"IT REALLY WAKES YOU UP, YOU KNOW!"</p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p>"...would you like to try a bite?"</p><p>"No thank you."</p><p>"Yo, what were you saying about contacting the outside world?" Flamberge grumbled in annoyance as she sat at the table across from the young man.</p><p>"Ah, right. When I was walking around yesterday, I noticed a Squeaker in one of the alleyways. If I remember correctly, Squeakers gather intel for Daroach of the Squeaks. If we can find one of them, we can ask them to deliver our message to their boss, who will hopefully deliver it to Meta Knight. At least that's the plan."</p><p>Zan thought for a moment. "Well, it's our only option. Let's try it after breakfast."</p><p>The ensign nodded. For best results, the message probably should be written down as well. "Zan Par…or rather, any of you. I hate to ask you this, but could you write the message for me?"</p><p>She looked up from her own meal. "Why do you ask?"</p><p>The ensign felt blood rush to his face. "I…I…I never learned to write in Dreamland's language."</p><p>The three mage-sisters tried poorly to suppress a laugh. It made the young man wish he hadn't said anything about it.</p><p>"That metal-faced introverted blueberry…how could he have forgotten to teach you that…" Thankfully, Zan seemed to be more insulting Meta Knight with her tone than Ledo.</p><p>"If you want, I'd be happy to write it for you, Mr. Ledo. You just have to tell me what to write." Francisca replied.</p><p>He gave a nod in response "Thank you."</p><p>He was thankful that matter was settled quickly.</p><hr/><p>After a careful combing of the town for several hours, Zan and Ledo couldn't find any Squeakers. He remembered Daroach saying that they were a bit timid, so they would likely be in hiding.</p><p>"Do you see any mouse-like blobs?" he asked Zan as she looked around.</p><p>"No, I don't…" she sighed as she shrugged her arms. "Ledo, where did you last see one of them?"</p><p>"When we were walking around before the rain, I saw one watching me from an alleyway."</p><p>Zan seemed to think for a moment. "Do you know if Chamber could help us find them?"</p><p>"Chamber, could you…" Just as Ledo had said that, he noticed a red mouse-like blob out of the corner of his eye. He slowly stood up and began to approach it.</p><p>"Hey there…" he began to whisper before it started to hop off.</p><p>"HEY! COME BACK HERE!" Ledo ran off after it.</p><p>Thankfully, the Squeaker didn't escape too far away, and the young man was able to catch up to it and grab it.</p><p>"Sorry for the rough handling, but this is very important! I'll let you go, but you have to listen to me for a few minutes!" he uttered as the blob squirmed in his arms. Upon hearing the last statement, the Squeaker managed to weakly nod. Not wanting to take the risk of the newly caught blob running away, Ledo continued to hold it as he spoke, but did so in a gentler way.</p><p>"You're doing some intel gathering here for Daroach, aren't you?" The blob tilted its head…or rather, whole body.</p><p>"I don't intend to harm you. I need to know if you work for Daroach." It slowly nodded, as if understanding his words. "Alright. This is very important, so please listen."</p><p>He motioned to Zan, who pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper sealed within a bottle. "I need you to deliver this message to your boss immediately."</p><p>The Squeaker stared at the bottle doubtfully. "Please, we need you to relay this message! I know this is probably a lot to ask of someone as small as you, but we have no other option! This needs to get to Daroach as soon as possible and any type of communication signals we send will be intercepted by Striker! If you need to, get your friends to help you out!"</p><p>The Squeaker warily looked at the bottle for a moment before nodding with a determined look. "Thank you, this means a lot." He handed the bottle to the Squeaker before it hopped off into the shadows.</p><p>"Are you sure this is going to work, Ledo?" Zan asked from behind him.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"As Ensign Ledo had said, there are no other options, Zan Partizanne. The only course of action available to us right now is to wait."</em> </span>Ledo nodded at Chamber's response.</p><p>"At this point, we can only hope that Daroach receives and relays our message."</p><p>"Do you think that he'll do it? I remember hearing the guy's a thief, so there's a chance that he won't care if it isn't intel for more treasure or something like that." Zan shrugged.</p><p>"You can think that all you want. However, I have faith that he will follow through."</p><p>Honestly, he wasn't quite sure if Daroach would follow through himself. Not only that, but even if the message was followed through, there's a chance that it would get to the Squeaks too late, leaving the pilot, his mech, the mage-sisters, and their followers to perform this uprising themselves. They'd have to prepare for that worst-case scenario immediately. Thankfully, part of that was being worked on by Francisca and Flamberge.</p><hr/><p>There was a large, unused hanger that was near the house Hyness and the three mage-sisters were staying in. With some guidance from Zan Partizanne and Francisca, Ledo had spent part of the afternoon moving Chamber inside the hanger.</p><p>"So, why'd you move metalhead inside here?" Flamberge questioned.</p><p>"We're going to be adding additional weapons to Chamber so he and Ledo could take on Striker, remember? That's why we gathered all that equipment from around the island with the Jammerjabs!" Francisca explained.</p><p>"That's right. I'd like to thank you both for helping me with that." Ledo said as he was lowered from Chamber's cockpit.</p><p>"Besides, doing it out in front of our temporary home would likely draw suspicion to us from Striker." Zan commented as she looked up at the equipment the sisters had brought in. "Say, Ledo, do you even know how to equip these things to Chamber?"</p><p>The young man examined the salvage. "A gatling gun and two missile launchers? I think I can do that. I did some maintenance work during my time on the Halberd." In retrospect, the ensign was grateful that he was taught about that. He gave a sigh "Honestly, I hate to seemingly ask so much of you, but could you guys give me a hand with this? It's a ton of work for one person."</p><p>"Oh, I don't mind it at all!" Francisca smiled.</p><p>"I'm getting sick of just sitting around inside the house all day, so I'm all game! Besides, I need to be here so my sweet little Francisca doesn't overwork herself!"</p><p>"Get someone to serve as cooks as well. This is probably going to be an all-nighter." The ensign commented.</p><p>"Oh, we have some Jambelievers already on that!" Francisca said.</p><p>"HOLDDD UUPPPPPPPPPP!" a familiar voice yelled from the entrance.</p><p>"Ah! Lord Hyness! What are you doing here!?" Zan exclaimed.</p><p>"Juh? What's this? A party without me? UNACCEPTABLE!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "You are mistaken, Hyness. This is not any kind of celebration, but a meeting to plan out the upcoming battle." </em> </span>
</p><p>The priest did a double take. "Uprising? Against the flying whirlybird?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"If you are referring to Lieutenant Colonel Kugel and Striker, that is correct."</em> </span>
</p><p>"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO!? LET'S GET TO WORK!"</p><p>As the mage-sisters went off to begin giving out orders to the Jambastion followers, Ledo remembered what he wanted to ask Hyness.</p><p>"Lord Hyness, I'm sorry for bringing this up out of the blue, but I heard from your subordinates that you know what Void looked like. Does he really look like Kirby?"</p><p>The priest slowly turned his head. "NO WAY! THEY'RE DIFFERENT! …you have a piece of paper I could borrow?"</p><p>the ensign handed him a notepad with a pen.</p><p>"NOW WATCH CAREFULLY! First, you draw a circle!" He drew a circle. "Then, you dot the eyes!" he drew two dot-like eyes. "Add a great big smile, and…presto! It's…" the two of them silently stared at the completed drawing. "…oh…. OH!"</p><p>"…it's horrifying."</p><p>
  <em> "Agreed." </em>
</p><p>Kirby's reaction made all too much sense now.</p><p>"YO! WHAT'RE YOU DOING, LEDO?! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND HELP!"</p><p>"S-sorry!" he ran in the direction of Flamberge's voice.</p><p>Based on the timeframe that Kugel gave in his orders, they had to equip Chamber for this battle as soon as possible. Even if it took the entire night to do so.</p><hr/><p>"Lord Meta Knight, are you sure it's ok for you to eat in the reading room?" Sailor Dee questioned.</p><p>"It's fine. Just…leave me alone." He mumbled, not even looking at his subordinate as he finished the affogato he was served.</p><p>"…yes, sir." The Waddle Dee took the glass bowl and left the room immediately after that conversation.</p><p>It was the early hours of the morning on the Halberd and the blue puff felt mentally drained. One of the major factors, he knew, was his concern over Ledo and Chamber after they left about three days ago. Another he knew was trying to help the pink ball silently curled up in his cape next to him. Kirby had continued to stay close to his mentor for the past few days. The pink puff claimed the reason was to help himself and his mentor cope with the missing ensign, but it was also clear that he was trying to act as a sort of wedge to prevent the knight from shutting everyone out during this time. Fair enough, since that was an established bad habit the blue puff had. Unfortunately, not even Kirby was able to null this off feeling he had, especially due to the fact that he was being extremely clingy at this time. Looking at one of the paintings hanging in the room, he caught a glimpse of his reflection. Due to being alone, his mask was raised enough so his eyes underneath were visible. Leaving his cape with Kirby, he walked over for a closer look. Dark circles under his eyes. Not a surprise, considering he had been struggling to fall asleep the past few days as well.</p><p>"Meta, you look terrible…" the knight murmured to himself, placing a hand on the wall to examine his reflection closer. Honestly, he felt so pathetic right now. Why was someone like him becoming so depressed over the absence of a single person? It's not like he had known Ledo for very long either, he had known him and Chamber for a little over two months at this point. He just didn't understand! Has he really become this soft over the years?!</p><p>"Meta-sensei…are you ok…?" he was alerted back to his student, who had begun to stir awake with a disoriented voice. The blue puff lowered his mask as he returned to his student.</p><p>"I'm fine, Kirby-"</p><p>"No! You! Aren't! You keep saying that when you're clearly not! You dummy!" the tearful voice he said that in made the knight internally panic. It was going to be a long day if his student started to cry again.</p><p>"Kirby! Just…calm down!"</p><p>"I can't…I…" that was when the pink puff started to cry again.</p><p><em>"Oh dear Nova…"</em> the knight thought to himself.</p><hr/><p>The crew of the Halberd didn't seem to be doing much better, if only because they could only go through the motions of their daily activities.</p><p>"Ugh, maintenance is so hard…" Mace Knight grumbled upon returning to the bridge where the others were stationed.</p><p>"So you were the one asked to do maintenance today? Condolences." Javelin Knight replied.</p><p>"Yup. Good Nova…ack! Normally Sailor Dee would handle it, but with him needing to run back and forth, he has no time! I mean, if Ledo was here, he'd be able to do it…NOVA MY BACK! How was that kid able to do this?!"</p><p>"Do you need any treatment?" Bio Gale dropped down from the ceiling next to Mace Knight.</p><p>"Ack! No! I just need to take some painkillers!"</p><p>"Painkillers are only a temporary solution. You should be treated now…" the low voice she used made him shudder.</p><p>"Wait, didn't you say you were going to treat Lord Meta Knight?" Trident questioned.</p><p>"I had just returned from attempting just that." Everyone looked at her in shock.</p><p>"W…wait, did you just say "attempt"?" Axe Knight stuttered.</p><p>"Unfortunately, that is correct. Every time I manage to get close to him, I suddenly find myself back outside whatever room he was in, like I had been teleported. I've already tried to commence treatment on him fifty times, but he keeps sensing my presence somehow."</p><p>"FIFTY!?"</p><p>"He even managed to hit me with one of my own tranquilizer darts."</p><p>"Good Nova, take a break!"</p><p>"ON MY OATH AS A DOCTOR, NEVER!" Captain Vul had to put her in a headlock to prevent her from leaving the room.</p><p>That was when Sailor Dee entered the bridge.</p><p>"Ah! Sailor Dee! How's Lord Meta Knight doing?!" Axe Knight questioned.</p><p>The Waddle Dee shifted on his feet a bit. "He's not doing well."</p><p>"THEN HE MUST RECEIVE IMMEDIATE TREATMENT!"</p><p>"DOWN, GIRL! HEEL! What did he say?"</p><p>"He said he wanted to be alone."</p><p>"Geez, he's doing that again..." the avian captain grumbled "...I'd try to talk to him myself, but if he said that he wants to be alone, doing that would make him clam up even more. In other words, we have to rely on Kirby this time..." He breathed some smoke out of his pipe despite the kunoichi's protests.</p><p>"It hurts to see him like this. I haven't seen Lord Meta Knight this upset since the mechanization incident." Sailor Dee sighed.</p><p>"You said it. It's all that kid's fault that our Lord is like this..." Axe Knight grumbled</p><p>Trident Knight added with a nod "Damn straight! Kid's been nothing but trouble ever since he stepped on this ship! Next time we see Ledo, we'll make him regret being born!"</p><p>"Oh, grow up. You two are acting like brats." Vul breathed out another cloud of smoke.</p><p>"What did you call us!?" Axe Knight yelled.</p><p>"I called you both, brats!"</p><p>"How dare you say that about us!"</p><p>"You better explain yourself, you-!" Trident Knight was cut off by a kunai that had embedded itself in the wall next to where he was standing.</p><p>"Vul has a very good point. Both of you are acting childish. Stop it. I prefer to treat wounds, not cause them."</p><p>"YOU SAY THAT AFTER YOU THROW A KUNAI AT ME?!"</p><p>"Here's a scenario for you two. What would happen if you two left the crew?" Silence washed over the room once Vul said that. "Well I'll tell you. Lord Meta Knight would be acting the same way he is now!"</p><p>"What? No, he wouldn't! Right?" Axe Knight turned to Trident Knight, who started to nod before hesitating.</p><p>"Of course he would! He may not make it that obvious, but Lord Meta Knight always cared about this crew, and this crew included Ledo and Chamber! It doesn't matter which of us leaves, he'd be devastated regardless!" More silence washed over the room. It was broken by an urgent beeping sound on the video receiver.</p><p>"A message this early in the morning? What could it be about?" Axe Knight questioned.</p><p>"Put it on now!" Vul ordered as Axe Knight tapped a few keys, opening up the video message feed.</p><hr/><p>"Lord Meta Knight!"</p><p>The knight didn't even turn to face Sailor Dee upon hearing his voice and the slam of the library door.</p><p>"I thought I told you that I wanted to be left alone." He replied coldly.</p><p>The response made the Waddle Dee flinch "Uh…I'm sorry but this important. It's about Ledo…"</p><p>Upon hearing that phrase, the pink puff by the knight's side immediately perked up. "Ledo!? Is he ok? Is he coming back? Is he-!"</p><p>"Kirby, calm down." He turned to face the Waddle Dee. "Explain."</p><p>Sailor Dee gave a nod while pulling out a notepad. "The following message has been received from Daroach of the Squeaks. He said that earlier this morning he found one of his Squeakers passed out on the floor of the entrance to his airship carrying a message in a bottle. Based on how exhausted the poor guy was, he spent the whole day carrying it back with no rest! Upon reading the note, it was confirmed that the Squeaker was asked to deliver a message from Ledo. According to that message, he's currently in Volcano Valley on the Popopo Islands. The long story short of Ledo's message is that he needs our help!"</p><p>"I see. Thank you." The knight's eyes turned sky blue. The Waddle Dee relaxed a bit from his stiff posture, as if recognizing the signs that the knight's dark mood had begun to lift.</p><p>That was when the knight's eyes turned grass-green. "Sailor Dee, tell everyone on the bridge to prepare for combat immediately."</p><p>"Yes, sir! Right away, sir!" The Waddle Dee saluted and started towards the door. "Oh, uh…sir, one more thing. Daroach also said that you owe him for this."</p><p>The blue puff gave a knowing sigh. "If he's still on the line, let him know I'll pay him back later." The Waddle Dee nodded before exiting.</p><p>"Meta-sensei?" the knight turned to his student.</p><p>"Kirby, contact Dedede and Bandana. We have a job to do."</p><p>The pink puff nodded with determination in his eyes.</p><hr/><p>Within the continuous late morning fog, the sounds of machines could be heard around Kugel's city in Volcano Valley. By scavenging the various battlefields present, the people of the island had created simple machines and vehicles to prepare for their invasion of the mainland. As they began their preparations, the lieutenant colonel's voice echoed out, signaling those below to turn their attention towards him.</p><p>"Hear my almighty will! To demonstrate God's boundless might to this world, I hereby announce the beginning of a new crusade! We shall be victorious and bring absolute order to this planet! We shall build a glorious and prosperous utopia on this planet!"</p><p>Striker exited the large shrine building that sat in the center of the city. The robed people around the island knelt in reverence as the Machine Caliber floated off the ground.</p><p>"Obey me, nothing more is required. I will lead you to eternal well-being."</p><p>While the people continued to bow, the scene was suddenly shattered apart by a loud crash coming from the residential district. The now fully equipped Chamber burst out of the hanger and landed squarely in front of Striker. Within Chamber's cockpit, the holographic image of Kugel in his cockpit was projected over Striker.</p><p>"Ledo, you have been acting quite strange recently. I would like you to explain your absurd behavior."</p><p>"No, you're the one who's absurd!"</p><p>"Such words hardly befit a soldier of the Galactic Alliance."</p><p>"Former soldier of the Galactic Alliance, lieutenant colonel. I am now Ensign Ledo of the Meta-Knights!"</p><p>"Oh? What an unexpected development for someone such as you. Even as a former soldier of the Galactic Alliance, such words are hardly befitting."</p><p>"This is Popstar, not the Galactic Alliance!"</p><p>"Nevertheless, this is a planet that is inhabited and our duty to enlighten those that live here."</p><p>"Enlighten?! No! The people have built their own world here! Nothing can justify destroying that!"</p><p>"Our legitimacy remains unchanged. Falter not."</p><p>Ledo exhaled sharply before he spoke again. "You're doing a pretty good job at imitating the lieutenant colonel while you're possessing him, but I'm sure you're getting tired of this charade. Isn't that right, Dark Matter!?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so tension escalates.</p><p>Hopefully I improve enough with writing battle scenes by the time the next chapters come out. Although I'm writing Chapter 18 right now... well, here's to hoping my ability to write battle scenes has improved regardless.</p><p>Omake (Bonus):</p><p>Vul: He'd be sad regardless of who leaves!</p><p>Axe: Even Bio Gale?</p><p>Vul: Even Bio Gale.</p><p>Axe: …well damn.</p><p>Bio Gale: You better hope I don't remember that next time you're injured. You won't survive the treatment.</p><p>(She did remember.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Awakening of a Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 16: Awakening of a Nightmare</strong>
</p><p>After Ledo's declaration there was only silence. Everyone in the city below had stopped moving, as if time itself came to an abrupt stop. After what felt like an eternity, there was a laugh. A cold, haunting laugh devoid of any humor coming from the supposed Commander.</p><p>"Dark Matter huh? I suppose that's not entirely wrong..."</p><p>The commander responded in a distorted voice. A dark aura began to appear around Striker.</p><p>"Something's off. Chamber, do a vital scan on Kugel!"</p><p>Suddenly, the cockpit gained an orange lighting, indicating an oncoming attack. The mech dodged three laser shots and another longer shot from the beam rifle, breaking through the clouds in the sky and causing the people to bow in reverence.</p><p>"Ah! Keep away! This is a fight between gods…" the person was cut off by a sudden burst of water due to a stray shot.</p><p>The two mechs fought each other at a speed that was difficult to watch. Even with the clever use of the newly equipped gatling gun and missile launchers, Chamber couldn't put a dent in the opponent.</p><p>"How is it this powerful!? Is it using the Dark Matter as a back-up power supply?!" Ledo shouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "That is what I have hypothesized." </em> </span>
</p><p>They dodged several more beam rifle shots. Suddenly, Striker's attack was interrupted by two cannons of water and fire.</p><p>"Francisca! Flamberge!" Chamber zoomed in on the two of them.</p><p>"We're going to provide you with support while Zan Par and the others handle the grunts! Don't worry about us! Focus on giving that piece of scrap iron hell!"</p><p>He nodded in response. After more back-and-forth beam attacks, the pace of their fight began to quicken.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Unable to establish tactical dominance. A temporary retreat is suggested. Focus fire on the enemy cockpit…"</em> </span>before Ledo could respond, Striker quickly changed directions. <span class="u"><em>"Warning: enemy unit is on a collision course."</em></span></p><p>The young man watched the quick movement, but was too slow to dodge, receiving a harsh kick from behind.</p><p>"The strong and the weak both support each other with reason. That is what it means to be human."</p><p>Upon hearing that repeated phrase from Kugel, Ledo's suspicion of the situation grew stronger. Then, there was another attack from Flamberge and Francisca, breaking through another beam rifle attack from Striker.</p><p>"NOW CHAMBER, GENERATOR AT MAXIMUM OUTPUT!"</p><p>Upon issuing that order, Chamber sped off and was able to slam Striker into one of the towers with a loud "THUD".</p><hr/><p>With Striker now pinned down, this was his chance. The ensign grabbed his communicator and opened his cockpit.</p><p>"Going in. Send emergency release signal."</p><p>After a few moments of quick text crawling, the cockpit to the other Machine Caliber opened slowly. Nothing could have prepared Ledo for what he saw next. He slowly began to lower his pistol. Stewing slowly in a mass of blackness sat the corpse of Lieutenant Colonel Kugel, slowly shrinking into the blackness now that the preservation system was cut off.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Rebooting posture control system."</span></em> Striker spoke as it threw off Chamber.</p><p>The sudden action caused Ledo to lose his balance and begin falling towards the ground. Just then, his mech grabbed him out of the air, protecting him with its hand. The Machine Caliber and pilot flew after Striker.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Ensign Ledo, your resistance is futile." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Who…was I talking to this whole time? Was it Dark Matter possessing Kugel? Or…?" the young man uttered.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Interface Striker X3752, was this all your doing?" </em></span>Chamber questioned.</p><p>The second mech halted its movement. <em>"<span class="u">My pilot no longer exists. However, I have inherited his mission and continue his objectives even now. All my actions coincide with his objectives."</span></em></p><p>"How!?" The young man was confused. How could his original mission have led to all of this?</p><p><span class="u"><em>"He formed this city and its operation based around my worship. I have ceased to be an individual mobile weapon. This entire society now depends on me as I regulate it and provide peace and control."</em> </span>The dark aura began to surround Striker again. <em>"<span class="u">And with the symbiosis of this material known as "Dark Matter", I have become the missionary regulation system of mankind… no…every species on this planet. The one that many may call "God"."</span></em></p><p>"Nonsense! All you did was turn them into your slaves!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"With an absolute ruler at the top, people are freed from the burden of thinking and making decisions. I believe you have felt for yourself the burden of having to think and decide on your own, ensign Ledo. I suggest the following: worship me. Obey me. Become united in a world under me."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Like hell I…"</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Negative</span>."</em> He froze upon hearing Chamber speak. <span class="u"><em>"Unit X3752, your logic is faulty. Our duty is to serve and aid humans, even if they do not resemble the human form, such as many of the species on this planet. Creatures that abandon decision making and individual thought do not fall under the definition of "human". In your case, our duty is not applicable to those under the society you command."</em></span></p><p><span class="u"><em>"My decisions as commander and ruler reflect the unified will of my society as a whole." </em></span>The aura began to grow even stronger around Striker.<em> <span class="u">"I am no longer a servant, but one who is served. As such, System K6821 Chamber, you are to serve me and those unified under my rule."</span></em></p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative. I am an interface system that supports and oversees the development of pilots. I am to serve humans. I do not take orders from one claiming to be a "god"."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber…" Ledo uttered in surprise at this conversation.</p><p>The mech turned to him. <em>"<span class="u">Striker displays the great weakness of our programming. I assume that an error in judgement regarding mission objectives on the pilot's behalf will eventually lead to illogical conclusions on the system's side, as this case clearly proves. The mistaken unit jeopardized the mission of devising the best means to support humans, and, in this case, jeopardizes the entire meaning of our existence. I consider the immediate deactivation and dismantling of Striker our top priority."</span></em></p><p>The young man gave a smile. "You must see Striker as an embarrassment to your kind."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Even in these unexpected circumstances, you, as a human, have always thought wisely and made the right decisions. That is also the reason I am still functioning properly."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I think you also have people like Kirby and Meta Knight to thank for that."</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">Agreed</span>." </em>
</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Negative. You both are malfunctioning"</em></span> Their conversation was cut off by Striker.</p><p>Ledo turned towards it with a newfound determination. "Let's defeat it, Chamber."</p><p><em>"<span class="u">I completely agree."</span> </em>The mech raised his hand and allowed the ensign to enter the cockpit.</p><p>The ground far below them suddenly began to visibly rumble as a pillar of blackness spewed out from the center of the city.</p><p>"Chamber, what's going on?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It appears that the Dark Matter is reacting violently."</em> </span>
</p><p>The sky began to turn black as a darkened mass began to envelope the island.</p><hr/><p>Chamber and Ledo landed next to a speedboat that the mage sisters, Hyness, and a Jammerjab managed to escape on. What stood before them was a giant mass of darkness with a malicious aura that the ensign could feel to his core.</p><p>"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARK LORD! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"</p><p>"Zan Par, do you know what that thing is?" he questioned.</p><p>"Based on the descriptions I've heard of it, I believe this is a phenomenon called a Hyper Zone."</p><p>"What's a Hyper Zone?!"</p><p>"It's a breeding ground of Dark Matter. It's smaller than a Dark Star, but still a massive threat. I've only ever heard about it, so this is my first time seeing it in person." She replied.</p><p>"Is it safe to enter?"</p><p>"Does it LOOK safe to enter?!" Flamberge shouted.</p><p>"Well, we have no choice if we want to defeat Striker, don't we?" the young man asked.</p><p>"Are you crazy!? That's suicide! I don't think even Kirby would enter that thing unprepared!" Before anything else could be said, the ensign charged towards the mass, causing the boat to nearly capsize. "WATCH IT, DUMBASS!"</p><p>As Flamberge shouted that, they watched the mech fly into the Hyper Zone. "Geez, what a suicidal idiot..." she grumbled and crossed her arms.</p><p>"If it's suicidal, don't you think he needs help?" Francisca asked.</p><p>"No way we're going! I'm not getting you or myself killed over his stupidity!"</p><p>"Did you not remember what I said to him?! We had an alliance!"</p><p>"Yeah, that was temporary, wasn't it?"</p><p>As the mage-sisters were arguing, the three of them failed to notice Hyness slowly reaching over to the throttle on the speedboat. Just as the boat was in the direction of the mass of Dark Matter, he slammed down on it.</p><p>"WHOOPSIES, BUTTERFINGERS!"</p><p>"LORD HYNESS!?" the trio shouted as the speedboat raced after the mech.</p><hr/><p>As Chamber and Ledo sped towards the Hyper Zone, he began to sink further and further into self-loathing. How could he have originally believed in such vain and empty ideas?! Back in the Alliance, all he did was just mindlessly worship and obey! He thought having a greater goal was enough! Even when all of this was just a fake set up by a machine, the part of him that told him to return to the Alliance couldn't tell the difference! Chamber entered the murky blackness of the Hyper Zone. The mixture of black and red swirled around the cockpit. Combined with the pure negative emotions emanating from all around him, it felt like the incarnation of malice. He had to keep his grip on reality.</p><p>
  <em>"All of this…this mass of pure anger and hatred born from the society he created…is this really the greater good that the lieutenant colonel wished for? Is this what he sacrificed the lives of so many of his comrades for?"</em>
</p><p>The further he flew into the Hyper Zone, the harder it became to see. Suddenly, he was hit by some kind of attack.</p><p>"Chamber, what was that?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Unknown. However, no damage has been received."</em> </span>
</p><p>He gritted his teeth. "Do you know where we are?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative ensign. There is not enough data to determine our exact location."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Could he have created a labyrinth?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"That is a possible explanation, but I do not have enough data to confirm it."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Can you at least tell where Striker is?" A screen appeared and did several calculations.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative. Unit X3752 is nowhere to be found. The Hyper Zone appears to be interfering with my radar."</em> </span>
</p><p>Ledo slammed his fist on the control console in frustration. What a mistake he had made! He charged in absentmindedly and is now trapped in this labyrinth of darkness! He began to think. What will happen to him now? Will he just wander around aimlessly until the Dark Matter takes hold and possesses him? Or would Striker just destroy him right there? Or will Striker just ignore him and leave him to rot?</p><p><em><span class="u">"I am detecting a heat signature from the direction we entered.</span>"</em> Chamber moved to avoid the giant laser that cut through the darkness.</p><p>"…what was that?"</p><p>He could see something entering the Hyper Zone from the distance. Chamber locked onto it and enhanced it. He slowly began to make out the shape of a star. Zooming further in, he gasped. It was the Warp Star, and riding on it was Kirby, Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Bandana Dee.</p><hr/><p>"Yo, could you speed this thing up?" Dedede grumbled, only to be shushed by Bandana.</p><p>"Ledo!" Kirby shouted as he pulled the Warp Star by Chamber's side.</p><p>"Kirby!?"</p><p>"Remember what I told you, ensign…no, Ledo! We're with you!"</p><p>'Lord Meta Knight!?"</p><p>"That's right! An' we're gonna fight, too!"</p><p>"Dedede?!"</p><p>"It's not just us, it's everyone!"</p><p>"Bandana?!"</p><p>Now that his attention was drawn, Kirby began to speak again. "I…no, all of us realized it after you and Chamber left! We want to stay with both of you, no matter how hard it'll be!"</p><p>"Ensign, remember what I said! No matter where you go, you are always part of my crew! That means that even now, you are part of my crew!"</p><p>"An' listen well! You talked mighty big 'bout defendin' my kingdom with me, Imma hold ya to it!"</p><p>"Not only that, but there's still so much you have left to see!"</p><p>Ledo continued to stare in surprise.</p><p>"So please…come back!" Upon Kirby saying that, the other three joined in.</p><p>"Come back to the place we wanted to protect! To our Dreamland!"</p><p>Ledo continued to stare in shock. "You said "everyone", what do you mean by that!?"</p><p>"Whaddaya think it means?! Ya really think we're that dumb to not bring back up to something as massive as this!?"</p><p>His eyes widened.</p><p>"All of our friends are here, Ledo! They came here to help as soon as they heard that you were in trouble!" Kirby said cheerfully.</p><p>As happy as this reunion made him, another thought began to cross his mind. "Everyone, thank you so much for coming but…you wouldn't happen to have a plan to navigate this place, would you?"</p><p>"NOPE!" The puff continued in his cheerful voice.</p><p>"NOPE?!"</p><p>"NOPE!"</p><p>The young man sighed. He should've expected that from people like them.</p><p>"Who needs a plan when you can smash your way through instead?! That's how this king rolls!" Dedede gave a hearty laugh.</p><p>"I'm sorry, ensign. I wanted to make a plan, but we were strapped for time. We didn't have any choice other than coming in as soon as possible." Meta Knight explained.</p><p>"That's weird. I remember you being the first to suggest using the Warp Star, even before Kirby said anything." After Bandana Dee said that, Meta Knight averted and covered his eyes, which had noticeably turned fuchsia.</p><p>"So you all came into unknown territory without so much as a strategy, just to help me?" Ledo uttered in shock.</p><p>The pink puff only smiled back "Of course! That's what friends do, isn't it?"</p><p>The young man fell silent.</p><p>"…Ledo?"</p><p>"Hehehe…" he uttered a small laugh "HAHAHAHAHA"</p><p>"Ledo?! Are you ok!? Did Dark Matter possess you?! Hold on, I'll—!" Just as Kirby was about to hop off the Warp Star onto Chamber, he was grabbed on the top of his head by Dedede.</p><p>"No, no, it's fine Kirby…" the ensign managed to say once his laughter had died down "It's just that I missed you. I missed all of you. Thank you for letting me return to your Dreamland."</p><p>"Awww, geez, now I hafta let you return!" Dedede said in a joking tone.</p><p>"You see, you even have the king's approval!" Bandana smiled.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"While I usually see such rational decision-making as unacceptable, I shall ignore it."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Awww, thanks, Chamber! You're the best!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Kirby, I do not understand why you are expressing gratitude towards me."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Don't worry about it, Chamber. For now, we should just focus on defeating Striker."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Agreed." </em> </span>
</p><p>The group headed towards the first area within the labyrinth.</p><hr/><p>"Wha!? That Kugel guy was already dead by the time you got here!?" Dedede exclaimed.</p><p>"That's what I think."</p><p>"And Kugel's mecha is the one who's really in control of this whole city?!"</p><p>
  <em>"<span class="u">Affirmative</span>."</em>
</p><p>"AND that same mecha is living symbiotically with Dark Matter and saying that it's now a sort of god?"</p><p>"That's correct."</p><p>"Huh. I was starting to think it's been quite a while since we had another Popstar-wide threat." Kirby commented.</p><p>"THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU JUST HAD TO OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH LAST WEEK!"</p><p>"Enough, you two, if it's anyone's fault, it's the fault of this Striker machine that Ledo mentioned."</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, I can't help but feel that all of this was my fault."</p><p>"You're not at fault for this ensign. This was going to happen regardless if you got involved or not. If anything, it's a blessing in disguise, since it was discovered before it could become worse."</p><p>"Is that really true?"</p><p>"Did you directly involve yourself in anything he was doing?"</p><p>"No, but…" "Then it isn't your fault."</p><p>Kirby gave a nod in agreement "Meta-sensei is right! If you weren't directly involved with creating this thing, then it isn't your fault!"</p><p>Honestly, the ensign wanted to agree with them, but the thought about it was still there. He himself felt that he was guilty of this simply because he was associated with them at one point in his life. The young man came to the island in hopes that seeing and talking with his now-former superior would help him break away from the past. After all he experienced up to this point, is that even possible for him to do?</p><hr/><p>The Warp Star flew through what appeared to be a forest full of dark grey trees. It looked as if they were covered in ash. Ledo was slightly amazed by the fact that such a massive area was created so quickly.</p><p>"…it's worse than I thought." Meta Knight uttered.</p><p>"What is?" the young man questioned.</p><p>"I read in your message about the ritual that was performed when it rained. There's so much negative emotion here that I believe that creating this Hyper Zone was its true purpose…" he seemed to tense up. "Or maybe even…a Dark Star…"</p><p>"Dark Star?" he remembered Zan Partizanne mentioning that.</p><p>"Imagine this Hyper Zone enlarged to the size of a small planet. That's a Dark Star."</p><p>"A small…planet? It could get that big?!" the ensign couldn't hide his surprise.</p><p>"It could. I've only heard it in passing and by reading about it. These three here have actually been on one." The knight gestured to Kirby, Dedede and Bandana Dee. Honestly speaking, Kirby experiencing something like that sounded accurate.</p><p>"I can also feel a ton of negative emotions around here…" the pink puff uttered.</p><p>"It might be growing…" the knight mused.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: if the generation of these negative emotions is continuing as you are assuming, could it possible that one of these aforementioned "Dark Stars" may form?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's very much correct. Just another reason why we need to defeat Striker quickly."</p><p>
  <span class="u">"<em>Agreed."</em></span>
</p><p>Kirby turned towards Dedede "Hey, Dedede, are you going to be okay?"</p><p>The penguin monarch slowly glared at him. "What're you gettin' at?"</p><p>"Your tendency to get possessed, sire…he's concerned for your safety…" the Waddle Dee whispered.</p><p>Dedede rolled his eyes. "I was trying to be nice! Geez..." he pouted childishly in response.</p><p>"Chamber, do you have a signal on Striker?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am beginning to detect a faint signal that resembles that of Unit X3752, Ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"So, we're heading in the right direction then!" Kirby replied.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "However, I am also detecting several other signals that do not resemble Unit X3752, one of which is directly in front of us. Please use caution when proceeding." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Understood...wait, did you say in front of us!?"</p><p>Chamber stopped moving, causing Meta Knight to speak up as well. "Hold it Kirby, Chamber said something's here."</p><p>In front of the group was a giant ash-like tree.</p><p>"…so? It's just Whispy Woods or one of his other many relatives." Dedede grumbled. The tree suddenly set itself on fire. "OKAY, THAT'S NEW! INFERNO WOODS IT IS THEN!" The king shouted as they dodged an oncoming ball of fire.</p><p>"Geez! Usually, Kirby's the one setting him on fire!" Bandana shouted. The ensign would've asked to hear context on that, but then he remembered Kirby mentioned having a Fire ability.</p><p>"Chamber, incinerate."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe that would be ineffective, Ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Right…"</p><p>The tree launched more fire balls at the group.</p><p>"Damn! He's too fast! I can't get a lock onto him with the missiles and gatling gun!" the young man grumbled.</p><p>"For being similar to Whispy Woods, this guy's being awfully difficult!" Kirby uttered.</p><p>"Ensign, you wouldn't happen to have a bottle of water on you, would you?!"</p><p>"Why do you ask?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe he is looking for a copy ability for Kirby, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"What Chamber said!"</p><p>Suddenly, two disks were slammed into the tree, halting its attacks.</p><p>"Splash curling?" Bandana questioned in surprise.</p><p>"Geez, that hurt more than I thought, mate!" Rick shook his head.</p><p>"Was that supposed to hurt? Gooey felt nothing."</p><p>"I was expecting you wouldn't…" The blue blob commented upon changing from his stone form.</p><p>"NAILED IT!" upon looking back towards the entrance, the group could see the remaining Animal Friends on the horizon.</p><p>"Yooooo, Kirby! Metalhead! Ledo!" We're here to help!" Nago stretched.</p><p>"A fire boss, huh? It might seem like a difficult fight on the surface, but it's nothing a bit of wind and water can't solve!" Coo spun forward with a parasol.</p><p>"I might not be able to do much on land, but that doesn't mean I won't try!" Kine exclaimed, flopping around. To the surprise of the onlookers, it was actually working against the burning tree.</p><p>"Chuchu, even you came to help?" the young man questioned.</p><p>"Hmph! I only came because it was to help Kirby! It had nothing to do with you!"</p><p>"Gooey came because Gooey was also worried about Ledo and Chamber!"</p><p>"No one asked for your input!"</p><p>"Thank you both anyway."</p><p>"FLATTERY WILL GET YOU NOWHERE!" she pouted.</p><p>"Stop fighting with each other and focus on the enemy in front of us!" Pitch cried.</p><p>Just as he said that Inferno Woods grew bigger and began to drop flaming apples on them.</p><p>"Oh. That isn't good…" Rick uttered.</p><p>Just then, a moving shadow from below shot up, creating a black hole that consumed all the apples.</p><p>"Marx! You came!"</p><p>The jester seemed like he was about to say something, but by the time he landed next to Chamber, he was silent. "…! Ah! Scheisse! Treppenwitz!" he grumbled.</p><p>"Marx, what are you doing here?" Ledo questioned.</p><p>"Was? Can't I help out my best friend?" The jester felt Ledo staring at him from within Chamber in suspicion. Heck, even the mech seemed to be staring at him. "Ok, ok, I get it! But don't worry I'm here to help! Kirby wouldn't let me here the end of it if I didn't show up anyway. And besides-" He gave a mischievous grin as he manifested his wings. "There's only room enough for one terrorizer on this planet."</p><p>"Regardless, thank you." Ledo couldn't help but smile.</p><p>"Kirby! You and the others go on ahead! Leave this to us!" Rick called.</p><p>"Got it! Ledo, Chamber, everyone, let's go!"</p><p>"Totest nicht, mein Alter!" Marx uttered with a grin before Chamber flew off.</p><p>"Do you have any idea what the last thing he said meant?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not know, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>It was likely something he didn't want him to exactly know. Hopefully he wasn't trying to stealthily insult him.</p><p>"Do you think they'll be okay, Kirby?" the young man asked.</p><p>"I trust they will be. They're my friends, after all!" he gave a smile.</p><p>That's right. He just has to trust them.</p><hr/><p>Upon reaching the second area, Kirby looked around in surprise. The point they arrived at was a swirl of dark navy blue.</p><p>"Ah! I feel like I've been here before!" he said.</p><p>"Really? This don't look like nowhere I've been before." Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"Well, to be fair, you've barely been on any of his adventures…"</p><p>"Like you're any different, metal face!"</p><p>"Calm down, you two! This isn't the time to be fighting among each other!" Bandana shouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign, there is something nearby."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Is it Striker?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative. While Unit X3752's signal has grown slightly closer, it is nowhere close to our current location."</em> </span>
</p><p>"So we gotta go further in, don't we?" the monarch sighed.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Affirmative."</em></span> Suddenly, Chamber stopped moving.</p><p>"Is something here?"</p><p>A red icosahedron began to form in the middle of the area right in front of the group.</p><p>"Oh, you have got to be kidding me…" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"Do you know what that thing is?"</p><p>Once it became fully form, several white and black splotches began to appear on it.</p><p>"Ah! It's Miracle Matter!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>"Miracle Matter?"</p><p>"I fought him before. A bit annoying to be honest…"</p><p>"Chamber!" the mech fired two beam rifle shots at the enemy, but it appeared to protect itself with a force field. "What? How is that possible?"</p><p>"Yup. That's why he's annoying…you have to wait to attack him with whatever he's using."</p><p>The group dodged the blob of matter as it flew at them surrounded by shards of ice.</p><p>"Ack! Watch it with the flying, Kirby!"</p><p>"That's not my fault, how else am I supposed to dodge it!?"</p><p>"Do it gentler, you dolt!"</p><p>"STOOOOPPPPPPP!"</p><p>"NOT NOW, YOU TWO!"</p><p>While that was happening, Miracle Matter then turned into a sparking ball of light and fired beams. While dodging this attack, Ledo looked up to see a cloud floating overhead.</p><p>"Hey, it's Kracko!" Kirby pointed.</p><p>The cloud shocked the blob of matter, doing damage to it. Upon being attacked, it turned into a cutter and went after the cloud. It was at that moment a girl and fairy jumped down from the cloud before it was hit with the attack!</p><p>"Yo! Adeleine! Ribbon!" Dedede waved.</p><p>"Dedede! Kirby! Ledo! Everyone! We came to help!" the artist shouted before hiding behind a canvas so Miracle Matter could pass by.</p><p>"Ah…I forgot that we can't attack him in some of these phases…" Ribbon panicked.</p><p>"Trying to paint something else now will leave us wide open…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Your assistance is appreciated."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Thanks, Mr. Chamber!" The matter then turned into a spikier form and launched needles at them.</p><p>"Kirby, does this thing have a bomb form?!" Ledo questioned.</p><p>"I think! Why?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign, the recommended course of action is to conserve our ammo for use against Striker."</em> </span>
</p><p>"We won't be able to fight Striker if we can't get past this thing! Adeleine and Ribbon can't damage it, so we'll have to use some of our own firepower to damage it!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"…I sense no fallacies in your logic, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Kirby, give me the timing!"</p><p>"Got it!"</p><p>It changed forms again, where it spewed out lava at them. "I can see how this fight could be irritating…" he uttered.</p><p>The boss then turned into a black bubble. "LEDO, NOW!"</p><p>Upon Kirby's command, Chamber launched several missiles, dishing out severe damage to the boss. Adeleine and Ribbon peeked out from behind the canvas again in surprise.</p><p>"Ah! It worked!" Bandana shouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "One of the explosions was not ours, ensign. I detect something else nearby." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh?" A familiar mouse-like figure landed on Chamber's soldier. "Daroach!"</p><p>"I'd say that I got your message, but I feel like you already can tell that."</p><p>"Y-yeah! I'm really thankful for that and…!"</p><p>"Hmph…being around that blue and pink marshmallow really changed you, huh?" the thief gave a slight laugh.</p><p>"It did?"</p><p>"Of course. Just look at the way you spoke. It was less like I was speaking to a soldier and more like I was speaking to a normal person. Even then, I see that you still have all the gutsiness you had when we first met."</p><p>"Is that a complement?"</p><p>"Yeah. Keep it up, kid." The mouse then turned towards the duo behind the canvas. "My men and I will provide offense for this fight! Can you two provide support?"</p><p>"Uh…yeah! Just give me cover while I paint!"</p><p>With a nod Daroach turned back to Kirby and the mech. "Go on ahead. We'll handle this guy."</p><p>"Are you sure you'll be okay?"</p><p>"Of course. My crew's the best there is." He grinned.</p><p>"Thank you again, Daroach!"</p><p>"One more thing Ledo! You and Meta Knight owe me a lot for this!"</p><p>"We'll discuss this later!" the knight shouted as the Warp Star flew off, Chamber following alongside it.</p><p>"Spinni! Doc! Storo!" The three members of the Squeaks showed up behind their leader. "You girls ready?"</p><p>"As ready as we'll ever be, Mr. Daroach!"</p><p>He tipped the brim of his hat towards them. "And you, men?"</p><p>"Right behind you, boss!"</p><p>"Pumped and ready!"</p><p>"On standby!"</p><p>He gave a chuckle. "Very well! Squeaks, move out!"</p><p>As the gang charged forward, Daroach looked back in the direction that Chamber and the Warp Star left in. "Kid, you better not die on me out there…not just because you owe me…"</p><hr/><p>Chamber and the Warp Star continued to travel through the Hyper Zone for several more minutes.</p><p>"This place seems to go on forever, doesn't it?" Bandana mumbled.</p><p>"Y'know, we've been going straight for a super long time now. Ya think we're going the wrong direction?"</p><p>The knight appeared to be in deep thought after Dedede asked that. "…calling this place a labyrinth might have been a bit…oh… what's the word…? It might have been an overstatement."</p><p>"Why do you say that, Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"We haven't been encountering any times where we needed to turn corners, like in an actual maze. Currently, we are reaching our destination correctly by just moving straight forward."</p><p>"Huh…I was starting to think the same thing actually. That's super weird. Some genius that bag of bolts is, am I right?" Dedede laughed.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I would not recommend saying such overconfident things."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Based on the data I've collected up to this point, I believe a more accurate representation of this so-called Hyper Zone would be something akin to the geological layers of planets. There are several layers that wrap around a central core layer, all of which I hypothesize to include traps or obstacles that will hinder our mission to defeat Striker. That would mean that Striker is at the core of this Hyper Zone."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Oh! You mean something like an apple or a layered cake?" Kirby said excitedly.</p><p>
  <em>"If perceiving it in such a way enables you to more easily understand it, affirmative."</em>
</p><p>"Can't you understand anything without relating it back to food?" Meta Knight sighed.</p><p>"Well, that's just Kirby being Kirby, Lord Meta Knight."</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">Agreed</span>." </em>
</p><p>They travelled for a bit longer until they reached another threshold.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Doppel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 17: Doppel</strong>
</p><p>The next area was full of several pools of blackish mud.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, Striker's signal has grown stronger. However…"</em> </span>
</p><p>"There's a ton of enemies below us?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>He stared down at the bubbling matter on the ground.</p><p>"Alright, we had burning Whispy Woods and that changing Dark Matter, what's the gimmick here?" Dedede grumbled as he looked down. A dark, UFO-like robot flew by. "Dark Matter-infected clones, ok!"</p><p>Bandana looked down below. "And there's a ton of them!"</p><p>"…Chamber, destroy."</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Understood."</em></span> Lasers were fired from several points on Chamber's body, incinerating the enemies below.</p><p>"Well, that was disappointing." Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"No, there's still more."</p><p>The black mud began to morph into more large forms.</p><p>"Of course, defeat one and another will replace it…" Bandana mumbled.</p><p>"The only option is to break them down until the mud can't resurrect them anymore."</p><p>"We don't have time for that, remember?! You said we have to defeat that Striker thing quickly!"</p><p>"I know what I said, Dedede. I'm just making observations."</p><p>The Warp Star travelers were nearly thrown off when a horseshoe shaped thing tried to attack them.</p><p>"ACK! KIRBY, WATCH IT!"</p><p>"I'm trying!" He spun again to dodge some projectiles. Suddenly, that boss was cut in half by a giant sword.</p><p>"Yo! It's Mags!" Dedede yelled.</p><p>"You're quite lucky that I made it in time! Because I'm such a nice guy, I thought I'd help you and Ledo, despite his utterly poor treatment of me!" he froze when he felt Meta Knight's judging stare at him. "THAT WASN'T MY FAULT!"</p><p>"What's he talking about?"</p><p>"I'll explain later…"</p><p>Creating a black hole to distract the enemies around him, he cleared his throat and continued. "Never mind that. Helping friends is what friends do, yes? So that's why I'm here!"</p><p>After Magolor said that, Chamber was forced to dodge a thrown cutter and a giant block.</p><p>"This is getting tedious…" the young man uttered. A dark construct of a wasp-like queen appeared above him, forcing him to dodge out of the way. The construct raised a staff and the enemies below him were electrocuted.</p><p>"AHHHHHH! NOVA, HELP ME! IT'S HER!"</p><p>"Calm down, your highness! It's just a construct!" Bandana cried.</p><p>"Sorry for using you as bait, Ledo."</p><p>"Taranza!"</p><p>The spider mage created a web to trap several of the minibosses. "I had to come help you as soon as I heard the news."</p><p>"Thank you for that…"</p><p>"Don't thank me! I lost someone important to me once before, I'd never be able to forgive myself if it happened again!" he destroyed several more enemies with a burst of energy from his body.</p><p>Chamber managed to dodge yet another boss that had charged at him. "Ah! Kirby! Look out!" Before they could collide with another one of the midbosses, a familiar mech drilled through it, landing next to Chamber.</p><p>"Susie?!" The ensign exclaimed.</p><p>"…"</p><p>"Did you come to help as well?"</p><p>"…"</p><p>"Can you please say something?"</p><p>"…I'm here to help." She murmured in a low voice.</p><p>"Regardless of what happened in the past with Lord Meta Knight, I'm extremely grateful for your help."</p><p>"…it means a lot to hear that, you know."</p><p>"I do know." He gave a smile.</p><p>To their surprise, three different lasers pierced through several enemies next to them. It was obvious who they belonged to.</p><p>"Zan Partizanne! Francisca! Flamberge!"</p><p>"We haven't forgotten our deal, Ledo!"</p><p>"Hopefully, we aren't too late to help!"</p><p>"Well, if Francisca is fine with helping you, then I'm fine with helping you. Someone's gotta keep her safe!"</p><p>Several pillars of fire attacked enemies appearing beside them.</p><p>"REJOICE, YOUNG MAN! For we have come to save you!"</p><p>"Hyness!"</p><p>Using a magic circle, he pierced several more enemies with various picks. More bosses began to emerge from the black mud.</p><p>"…there's too many of them." Just as the ensign made that observation, one of them was cut apart by a katana.</p><p>"Bio Spark!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>"DAMMIT BIO! I WANTED TO FINISH HIM!" Knuckle Joe cried.</p><p>"It seems like we barely made it in time. I really wish my cousin told me about this earlier…gathering the others can be such a pain…" alongside Bio Spark and Knuckle Joe were several other people that the young man did not recognize.</p><p>"Is this the friend group you mentioned, Kirby?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"Yup! They call themselves the "Helpers"!" He'd ask why that was the case, but it seemed obvious.</p><p>"Either way, why didn't you call us earlier!?"</p><p>"It would have taken too much time calling all of you!"</p><p>"We have a message…!" Chilly explained upon freezing an enemy.</p><p>"Inferno Woods and Miracle Matter have been defeated! Your friends are making their way here!" Burning Leo set an enemy on fire.</p><p>"That's a relief!" the puff smiled. Another flying enemy broke up the reunion by forcing the Warp Star and Chamber to dodge again.</p><p>"KIRBY STOP!"</p><p>"Do you want us to get hit!?"</p><p>Said enemy was then skewered by a trident and javelin.</p><p>"It's about time…" the knight uttered.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight! We came to help!"</p><p>"The Meta-Knights? I thought that you guys wouldn't want anything to do with me after I left…"</p><p>"It's as our lord and Captain Vul said, regardless of what happens, you and Chamber are still a member of this crew!" Mace Knight yelled as he attacked an enemy.</p><p>"…and here my cousin was saying two of you were talking about making him regret being born and such." Bio Spark gazed over at them.</p><p>"SHUT UP!"</p><p>"I'll have to question them about that later…" Meta Knight murmured darkly. "Men, here are your orders! Assist the allies you see before you and clear out this area! Those who slack off will be punished with a thousand-kilometer run!"</p><p>"YES, SIR!"</p><p>The knight turned to Kirby with a nod and the Warp Star jetted off. Ledo looked back for a moment before following after them with Chamber.</p><p>"Don't fall behind. I'm sure the last thing you want is my cousin treating you." Bio Spark seemed to smirk towards Axe Knight.</p><p>"Do you forget who we are? Worry about yourself first!"</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, Striker's signal is gradually getting closer."</em> </span>
</p><p>"So we're almost there."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Did you guys hear that?"</p><p>"Yup! It's 'bout freaking time!"</p><p>As he continued to press forward, Ledo suddenly remembered the mirror he had first seen when he first met with the holographic Kugel. The malicious aura that emanated from it resembled that of this current area within the Hyper Zone. Could one of these four know anything about it?</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, you seem knowledgeable about a lot of things on this planet." The young man commented.</p><p>"Well, I tend to read a lot in my spare time, so, yes…" there was a tinge of pride in his voice when he said that.</p><p>"Yup! Meta-sensei's the best when it comes to that!" Kirby smiled. The knight seemed to avert his eyes a bit sheepishly upon his student saying that. As much as he seemed to enjoy being praised, he seemed to become slightly embarrassed when his own student complimented him.</p><p>"You wouldn't happen to know anything about a mirror, would you?" hearing those words made him freeze up.</p><p>"A…mirror…?" the grave voice he said that in, and his slight trembling tipped the young man off.</p><p>"Is that something bad?"</p><p>"But…Taranza, you idiot! I told you to destroy that thing!"</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight? What are you talking about?"</p><p>"In his defense, he tried to. Several times." Bandana sighed.</p><p>"Yeah, guess y'all could say his memory of Sectonia is too strong."</p><p>Meta Knight groaned in annoyance.</p><p>"What exactly are you guys talking about?"</p><p>"The Dimension Mirror." Kirby replied.</p><p>"What's that?"</p><p>"Right…I don't think I ever had the chance to talk to you in depth about that…" the blue puff shook his head.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe it has been mentioned by Taranza in conversation at least once. He had confirmed it to be the source of Sectonia's gradual descent into madness."</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight gave a nod. "The Dimension Mirror is a gateway to the Mirror World. The Mirror World is a parallel world located above Dreamland, named after the many mirrors that serve as doors to other areas."</p><p>"Yeah, it's like a giant maze!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>"That's true. Anyway, the mirrors in that land originally had the power to make whatever wishes it reflected come true. But one day, an entity called Dark Mind invaded it and caused the mirrors to only reflect things that were bad."</p><p>"Including the Dimension Mirror?"</p><p>"Correct. I'd argue that it's several times worse if the Dimension Mirror is corrupted. The reason for that is the Dimension Mirror is behind the creation of all the residents in the Mirror World. This is done by creating a parallel copy of whoever looks into it. If that mirror becomes corrupted…"</p><p>"It creates a copy that only reflects the bad traits of that person?"</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>The ensign grew more concerned upon hearing that. "Can the Mirror World copies enter Dreamland?"</p><p>"Of course! We can enter the Mirror World, so why wouldn't they be able to come here?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"Correct, but they can only do it through the power of the Dimension Mirror. They can sometimes enter through mirrors that exist in Dreamland, but even then, they're only able to do that because the Dimension Mirror exists. If that mirror is ever broken, they lose that ability and the gate between the two worlds will be severed."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I detect a negative connotation in your tone, Lord Meta Knight. Query: Is the Mirror World perhaps related to an incident of psychological damage for you?"</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight's eyes flashed orange. "It's… complicated…"</p><p>"It doesn't seem that complicated."</p><p>"MK, just tell 'em." The king seemed to roll his eyes.</p><p>The blue puff sighed and began to speak again "When Dark Mind corrupted the Mirror World, I travelled through the Dimensional Mirror to try and defeat him. If you remember what I said about that mirror, it created a parallel copy that reflected my worst traits: Dark Meta Knight."</p><p>"Yeah, then he came to Dreamland and split me into three!" Kirby pouted.</p><p>"You thought it was me at first as well…"</p><p>"At first! Then I realized he never tossed me a sword when he ambushed me!"</p><p>"He ambushed you?"</p><p>"He ambushed me as well. I was able to hold myself well in a fight against him, but he was too strong. I was defeated and he sealed me in the Dimension Mirror, shattering it so I couldn't escape. After that, Kirby and his three colored variants had to travel around the labyrinth of the Mirror World to collect the fragments and fix the Dimensional Mirror. After that, they were able to defeat my counterpart and Dark Mind."</p><p>"You mentioned that Dark Meta Knight ambushed both of you."</p><p>"He did. The key difference between us is that Dark Meta Knight has no honor when it comes to battle. He'll use every underhanded tactic he knows to win."</p><p>"He's also a narcissist. And really mean…"</p><p>"A narcissist that gets drunk on his own pride…"</p><p>"Wait, does this mean Kirby has a Mirror World counterpart?"</p><p>"Of course I do!"</p><p>"Do I want to know what he's like?"</p><p>"He's super nice!"</p><p>"Simply put, Shadow Kirby is the same as normal Kirby. The only reason why he and Kirby fought while in the Mirror World was because Shadow Kirby thought that he was a threat and was only trying to protect his home. Honestly speaking, I'm not entirely sure why he doesn't have any negative traits…"</p><p>"Meta-sensei, are you saying I have bad traits?" his student pouted.</p><p>"Oh…I don't know…let's see…" as he continued to speak, he listed various things while counting on some fingers "Several moments of impulsiveness…beating up Dedede over a piece of cake…beating up the Squeaks because you found out that they stole that same piece of cake…fighting me because you thought the chest that Dark Nebula was sealed in had that same piece of cake…that time you ate all the food that was cooked for Dedede's birthday party…falling asleep during several of my lectures…can't forget the time you ate Sailor Dee's pudding while you were over…"</p><p>"All of those happened because nobody told me anything about what was going on! And you said that pudding was yours!"</p><p>"Broke my mask every time we dueled…took a photo of me without my permission…complained when I destroyed the camera…drew on one of the walls in one of Dedede's castles, thankfully you cleaned that up…spilled ketchup on one of the rugs there as well…gave Bandana Dee a heart attack because he thought you were severely bleeding…"</p><p>"META-SENSEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"</p><p>King Dedede took control of the Warp Star in annoyance while the pink puff shook his mentor, who was continuing to rattle off all the bad things he did. Bringing his thoughts back to what he heard about Shadow Kirby, Ledo wasn't too sure why any of the negative traits Kirby had were not reflected either. Perhaps it's because Kirby is such an innocent and genuinely good person that the mirror can't find anything negative to reflect?</p><p>"There was also that time you rammed the Warp Star into the Halberd…"</p><p>"That was when you tried taking over Dreamland!"</p><p>"No, the other time. The time you went "Hey Meta-sensei check this out!" and you attempted to do a new trick with the Warp Star, only to hit the Halberd."</p><p>"...wait that only left a small scratch!"</p><p>"A scratch that took 3 hours for me and Sailor Dee to fix!"</p><p>"Ah! We're reaching the threshold!" Bandana pointed out.</p><hr/><p>The room the group touched down in was mostly dark and full of sparkling fragments. After fully entering the area, the gateway that they came through shut.</p><p>"Alrighty, so what's it gonna be this time?" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"Based on how we're locked in this room, sire, I think it's one of those rooms where we have to defeat whatever we have to fight here before we can continue on." Bandana Dee commented.</p><p>"We should probably start to look for a way out of here…" Kirby said with Bandana nodding in agreement.</p><p>"Just keep your guard up while you do. This is more than likely a trap."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Agreed." </em> </span>
</p><p>While looking around, Ledo got a strange feeling from within the room. It was the same malicious one he felt from that room with the mirror. Suddenly, the cockpit inside Chamber gained an orange tint.</p><p>"Hello there." A dark voice sneered from behind him.</p><p>"CHAMBER!"</p><p>With a quick flip, the would-be attacker was shaken off, flipping over several times before managing to skid into landing on his feet, using tattered wings to slow down faster. When the ensign got a clearer look at the attacker, he was astonished to see that they looked almost exactly like Meta Knight, except he was colored mostly grey and the left side of his mask visor had a deep gash in it.</p><p>"Chamber, why didn't you tell me there was an enemy near me?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"No perceived threats had appeared in the room until 1.6 seconds before this opponent appeared."</em> </span>
</p><p>"What? But how!?"</p><p>"Ensign, what happened?!" Meta Knight turned to face the attacker. The moment he saw them, his eyes glowed red. "YOU!" in a seamless transition, he went from standing with his sword unsheathed to darting towards the attacker with wings unfurled in only a few seconds. A loud clang rang out as the two knights clashed swords.</p><p>"Being a bit hot-headed now, aren't we, Mety?" the smug tone of his opponent only seemed to further anger the knight.</p><p>"Silence, faker!" After Meta Knight said that, the attacker looked silently furious.</p><p>"Faker, huh..." The opponent's condescending tone became colder. The copy slowly raised a free hand, forcing the knight to dodge several giant swords that had erupted from the ground.</p><p>"…who is that?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"</em> <em>Based on what I have observed, I believe that it is Dark Meta Knight."</em> </span>
</p><p>Based on what the young man was told, everything checked out, specifically his use of underhanded tactics and overconfident personality. The cockpit suddenly lit orange again and he instinctively attacked with the harpoon-spear, hitting something and sending it to the other side of the room.</p><p>"SHIT! I coulda gotten 'em!" the attacker, a grey and black colored version of King Dedede, slammed his pole axe into the ground in frustration, cracking part of the ground. He coughed up a bit of blood, likely inflicted from Chamber's impact and wiped it on his dark red sleeve.</p><p>"THE HELL!? I THOUGHT I BROKE YA INTO A MILLION PIECES!"</p><p>"Huh?! Dedede has a Mirror World version!? How?!" Kirby's shocked reaction alerted the ensign to this being something new.</p><p>"He just showed up outta nowhere when I was 'bout to chuck that there mirror outta Floralia's castle! I broke 'em down and tossed that Dimensional Mirror thing out like it was yesterday's garbage! I thought it woulda broken on the way down!"</p><p>"I TOLD YOU THAT WOULDN'T WORK, SIRE!" Bandana yelled, dodging an axe swing. Suddenly he blocked a spear that was thrown at him.</p><p>"Needing me for help, huh, Shadow Dedede? Geez, you sure are pathetic…"</p><p>"Ah! It's…me!?"</p><p>The attacker was a black and grey version of Bandana Dee.</p><p>"Bandana does, too!?"</p><p>"Piss off, Shadow Bandana! I can fight on my own!" The Dedede copy coughed again, wiping a trickle of blood off the side of his mouth.</p><p>"Oh? Is that how it is? How about you cough up your lungs and croak already, dirtbag!"</p><p>Despite the two of them arguing while they fought their normal counterparts, they were actually putting up a decent fight. Watching the scene from above, the young man noticed a particular object: the mirror he saw earlier. Something about it seemed…off. He brought Chamber closer to get a better look.</p><p>"Oi! Where're you goin'!?" Dedede shouted in his direction.</p><p>"Where're you lookin'!? I'm over here, dumbass!" Shadow Dedede pushed forward in his attack, forcing the other to guard against it.</p><p>"HOLD! STILL! YOU! STUPID! LITTLE!" Shadow Bandana's attack against his normal counterpart was cut off by three spears nearly stabbing him.</p><p>"Hold it right there!" the two Dees turned to see Kirby standing there, ready with the Spear copy ability.</p><p>"Ah! Kirby! Thank you! But… shouldn't you help Ledo?"</p><p>The pink puff smiled "I have complete faith in him! Besides if he needs me, I'll warp right over! Besides, I'm pretty sure you don't want to fight this murderous psycho alone!"</p><p>"You read my mind…"</p><p>"OH, COME ON, THIS ISN'T FAIR!" the copy yelled.</p><p>The ensign continued to stare at the mirror. It was then that he realized what was off. Ledo's eyes widened when he saw it. The moment Ledo looked into the mirror, he saw his reflection, staring straight at him.</p><p>"…Chamber I'm getting out."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, I don't believe that's a reasonable course of action."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Maybe not, but I need to see this for myself."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Ensign Ledo, I suggest—" </em> </span>
</p><p>"That's an order Chamber. Don't worry. If I need help, I'll call for you, alright? This is something I need to do."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I fail to see the logic of this, Ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Not everything needs to be logical Chamber. I thought you would know that by now after all the time we've been on this planet."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"…I do not detect any major flaws in your logic. Very well."</em> </span>
</p><p>Taking his pistol, he walked towards the mirror. The reflection dropped out of the mirror, landing on its feet and taking a shooting stance. The ensign didn't know what to think. It was like looking in a mirror if all the colors on his reflection were grey and muted. But there was something about those dull grey eyes that haunted him. They were cold and unfeeling.</p><p>"Identify yourself!" Ledo ordered.</p><p>"…" the copy silently stared back.</p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p>"…"</p><p>"Can you speak?"</p><p>"…I was not given orders to speak." The copy's voice was eerily similar to his own, but with an icier tone devoid of any emotion. It seemed to fit perfectly in with those of the other Mirror World copies, which sounded like malicious versions of their original counterparts'.</p><p>"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SPEAK, DUMBASS!" Dark Meta Knight shouted, surrounding himself with a wall of mirrors to protect himself from an attack.</p><p>A reflected sword beam caused Ledo to sidestep, but barely missed the unflinching copy.</p><p>"Is he…?"</p><p>"…my name is Shadow Ledo. I am a copy of your reflection born from the Dimension Mirror. Your…doppelganger, I believe he said the term was."</p><p>It seems that Meta Knight's guess about that mirror the ensign saw in that meeting room was correct. It was the Dimension Mirror. And this opponent right in front of him? A manifestation of his own indecisiveness, blind obedience, and near-suicidal lack of a fear of death. Before he could respond to what he just heard, his doppelganger suddenly open fired on him forcing Ledo to dodge the burning laser.</p><p>"Why are you fighting us? What reason do you have!?"</p><p>"Reason? Don't have one. I was told to fight for what Lord Dark Meta Knight told me was the greater good and that's what I'm going to do."</p><p>Shadow Ledo fired another shot with Ledo narrowly avoiding it. The ensign responded with a shot of his own which grazed the clone's cheek, causing a small bleeding scratch to appear. However, the doppelganger either didn't feel it or didn't care as he continued his attack.</p><p><em>"He didn't even react to that! Why is he acting like this?" </em>His eyes widened in realization.<em> "He's just like me. Just like how I was in the alliance, back when I was nothing but a puppet. In that case..."</em></p><p>Both Ledos fire at each other, and both attacks connect with the other's gun being knocked out of their hand. Now the two ensigns stood there weaponless. Seemingly undisturbed by this, Shadow Ledo charges at the original, attempting to punch him in the gut. While the young man managed to block this punch, he was blindsided by another one that hit him directly in the face, causing him to nearly fall back in a daze.</p><p>"You should just give up already." A punch from the left side. "You are all alone, with nobody around to help you." While he managed to dodge the next punch, he couldn't avoid the kick. "Do us both a favor and die."</p><p>Before the next hit could connect, Ledo managed to put his full weight into a punch that knocked his clone away. "Alone, huh? If you said that while I was in the Human Galactic Alliance, there might have been a point to what you're saying. Ironically, even though it was called an alliance, there was no real connection between us soldiers. Hell, there was no real connection between any person. We woke up from hibernation, fought the Hideauze, returned to base if we didn't die in battle, prepared for the next battle, returned to hibernation, rinse and repeat. The only real human interaction we had was with our squad commander and even then, it was just receiving combat orders."</p><p>Ledo reached into his pocket. "But now things are different. I'm no longer an Alliance soldier. I'm a citizen of Dreamland and a proud member of the Meta-Knights. And, most importantly, I'm not alone anymore! Even if they aren't next to me, my friends are right here with me!" He tied the fighter headband Kirby gave him around his head. "Let's dance, you emotionless puppet!"</p><p>The shadow had no response to that other than to put his full weight into another punch, which was easily dodged. The ensign managed to land several more hits against him, until suddenly, the copy split in half.</p><p>"What is this...?" before he could react further, he was kicked from behind, stumbling over a bit.</p><p>That might have been a technique he learned from Dark Meta Knight. With a quick leg sweep, he brought Shadow Ledo down to the ground. This was his chance to finish this fight with one more punch. Just as Ledo was about to land this next hit on his shadowy counterpart, he was stopped by a mirror. He looked down to see that Dark Meta Knight had blocked the attack.</p><p>"Lord Dark…"</p><p>"You obtuse moron! I thought I told you to not do anything reckless! Have you forgotten where you are!? This is a battlefield! One wrong move and you will die! At this rate, you ought to apologize to whatever glass fragments formed you for wasting their time!"</p><p>A faint crackling could be heard from Shadow Ledo. "But, sir, you told me to fight."</p><p>The dark knight glared at him. "You can fight and not be an imbecile at the same time, dumbass! Now, quit messing up and knock him out already!"</p><p>A small crack began to develop on the doppelganger ensign's left cheek upon hearing that. "Yes…Lord Dark Meta Knight…"</p><p>For a brief moment, Ledo and Meta Knight looked at each other, as if wondering the same thing. What is the meaning of that fracture that suddenly appeared? Before they could say anything, the shadowy knight returned to engaging his brighter counterpart, grumbling aloud.</p><p>"That moron…he must have a brain the size of a snail…thinks about as fast as one, too…"</p><p>His brighter opponent seemed to smirk. "Oh, I don't know… some snails can grow to be big. Besides, you are fighting me, remember?!" Meta Knight landed a hit so heavy that it caused Dark Meta Knight to skid backwards. "Besides, why do YOU even care about what's happening between them? Last time I checked, you couldn't care less about anything that doesn't directly benefit you."</p><p>"Silence! I can insult whoever I want, especially when the dunce I'm insulting works for me!" He summoned more blades from mirrors in front of him, which were dodged with ease.</p><p>"Ack!" Shadow Ledo's roundhouse was particularly nasty that time.</p><p>Both of them seemed to be losing stamina fast. They had to finish this quickly. As a last-ditch effort, the copy gave a strong uppercut to the face, but was stunned by a hefty kick to the chest. Such an attack left the copy wide open. With one final yell, Ledo put his weight into one final punch. It hurt his hand a lot, but it felt strangely satisfying. There was a slight stumble from the mirror version of himself, as Shadow Ledo was barely able to stand after receiving that punch. There was a stunned expression on the copy's face, the first time he exhibited any kind of emotion. The crack that had begun to develop on his face began to grow larger and more of them began to appear on his body.</p><p>"I…" a fragment of his cheek broke off, turning into a shard of glass. "I…truly am useless, aren't I...Lord Dark..." his emotionless expression slowly morphed to one of despair as another large fracture shot throughout his body. Wincing briefly in pain, more cracks appeared before his body shattered, transforming into several shards of mirror-like glass. Dark Meta Knight looked over from his own duel and saw what had happened. He could only stare in stunned silence. After a few seconds, a small, glass-like fracture formed on the right side of his head.</p><p>"You stupid, good for nothing…! I may have called you a lot of things, but I never called you useless!" He turned towards Ledo, eyes burning with rage. "NOW, AS FOR YOU! NO ONE KILLS MY PUPPET AND LIVES!" before he could spring after the young man, he was hit on the back of his head, passing out.</p><p>"That's enough of that, faker."</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight…"</p><p>The knight walked over to the young man and motioned for him to kneel. Slightly confused, he obliged, only to have his face prodded at by his superior.</p><p>"Does this hurt?"</p><p>"A…bit…"</p><p>"Do you have any more pain anywhere? That fight of yours seemed pretty intense."</p><p>"I'm a bit sore, but I don't think I broke anything…I can have Chamber do a medical checkup." He flinched when the blue puff put pressure on his shoulder.</p><p>"Can you still pilot him in your condition?"</p><p>The young man moved his shoulder a bit. There was a tiny bit of pain, but he could work through it. "I think I'll be fine, thanks for your concern."</p><p>"I see…don't overdo it…" there was a bit more concern in the knight's voice when he said that. He was about to turn to return to the rest of the group, but then Kirby floated over, now using his Doctor ability. "You three already defeated Dedede and Bandana's counterparts?" the knight looked towards them to see a few piles of glass on the ground.</p><p>"Yup! We got a bit battered from it, but we did it! Honestly they stood no chance against our combined power!" He gave Ledo a bottle with a green liquid inside it. "Drink this and it'll heal you! You need to be at your best when we fight Striker, right?"</p><p>"Right. Thank you."</p><p>Dedede stretched his arms. "Maaaan, guess we can check "mirror copy counterparts" off final area bingo..."</p><p>"We aren't doing bingo." The pink puff commented.</p><p>"Don't worry about it, Kirby..." The Waddle Dee sighed.</p><p>"Um...should we destroy the Dimension Mirror and Dark Meta Knight?"</p><p>"I recommend that..." Meta Knight cut himself off as he stumbled a bit, placing a hand on his head.</p><p>"Yo, MK, somethin' wrong? You don't look so hot."</p><p>"...can you feel it, too, Kirby?"</p><p>His student began to shudder. "A... surge in negative emotion?"</p><p>"An immense one..."</p><p>The blue puff's eyes turned grass green "Everyone! We have to go now! We don't have much time left! This Hyper Zone is going to become a Dark Star soon!"</p><p>With a surprised nod, Ledo stepped into Chamber's hand and was raised to the cockpit.</p><hr/><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"We are approaching Striker's signal. Contact is expected to be made in approximately twenty minutes."</em> </span>
</p><p>"...so once we defeat Striker, this will all be over, huh?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, I detect evidence of strain in your voice and abnormalities in your brainwaves. Is there something that is on your mind?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"I have a lot on my mind right now, Chamber."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I cannot assist much with that, but I can offer my support."</em> </span>
</p><p>He looked out at the darkness of the Hyper Zone. "That...would be appreciated."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was an enjoyable chapter to write.</p><p>Yes, Dededetour is kind of canon here.</p><p>Omake (Bonus):</p><p>MK: That time you crossed the street when it wasn't at a crosswalk, several times you overslept and missed a training session, a few days ago when you gave the head nurse a reason to try to "cure" Ledo, two weeks ago when you suggested painting Chamber pink, that time you played chess with Marx...</p><p>Kirby: THAT WAS A NORMAL CHESS MATCH WHERE HE DIDN'T CHEAT FOR ONCE! HOW IS THAT BAD!?</p><p>MK: It was with Marx.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Legend of the Glittering Star</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 18: Legend of the Glittering Star</strong>
</p><p>The scenery the group arrived at was gloomy. It was almost as if the Hyper Zone's void-like nature had merged itself with the many structures that Kugel's society had built. Thankfully, there appeared to be some kind of barrier on the ground that allowed those traveling on foot to walk.</p><p>"Chamber, Striker is here, right?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Where?"</p><p>An immense dark energy surrounded the core of the Hyper Zone.</p><p>"Prepare yourselves, everyone!" Meta Knight unsheathed his sword in anticipation. Dedede and Bandana followed suit, assuming a combat-ready stance with their own weapons.</p><p>"Kirby!" he tossed a sword to his student, who grabbed it and obtained the Sword ability. He then spoke into a device he placed on his ear. "Did you hear that, ensign?"</p><p>"Loud and clear, sir."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The final trap did not go as I had calculated. But no matter. It is mandatory to resupply before a mission."</em> </span>
</p><p>The voice of Striker could be heard from all around the area. Ledo braced himself. A plume of dark energy opened up from Striker's large temple. The mech inside floated out ominously. The Striker that exited the plume looked much different than when he first saw it. Specifically, there were more red veins covering it and a big red eye in the currently open cockpit hatch.</p><p>"...it's Zero."</p><p>"Zero?"</p><p>"Not much is fully known about Zero, except that he is possibly the leader of Dark Matter and that Kirby defeated him twice. By the looks of it, Dark Matter might have been trying to revive Zero again, this time by having him become symbiotic with Striker."</p><p>"So... what? Would that make this thing a sort of Zero Three?"</p><p>"I guess you could say that."</p><p>The cockpit hatch on the Machine Caliber suddenly closed. <em>"I will give you one final warning. Swear your life to me and I will spare all of you."</em></p><p>"If I said no the first time, what makes you think I'll say yes this time?!"</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Then perish."</em> </span>The mech fired off a shot that Chamber dodged. Upon regaining balance, the mech fired off the gatling gun.</p><p>"Gah! They're too high up for us to fight!" Dedede yelled.</p><p>"For you, maybe! Meta-sensei could easily help him out! Though…I think I might need the Wing ability myself…"</p><p>"I think we have something else to worry about, you two..." Bandana Dee uttered, pointing towards blobs of Dark Matter that had begun to form from pools below them.</p><p>"Geez. We don't get a break, do we?"</p><p>"Complaining won't defeat them more quickly! Come on!" Meta Knight called out.</p><p>"You think princess and his tin can will be okay fighting that bag of bolts alone?" Dedede looked back at them.</p><p>"...I have full faith in my subordinate."</p><p>Kirby gave a nod. "I have my full faith in him and Chamber, too! Because they're my friends!"</p><p>The king gave a smirk. "Heh. You're right. They got this far. There's no way they gonna die here!"</p><p>"Yeah! Let's go!" Bandana Dee cried out as they charged towards the blobs of Dark Matter.</p><hr/><p>For every round of missiles fired off and dodged, Striker was able to dodge and counter with a beam rifle shot. Like in their previous match, it was difficult to keep track of the two Machine Calibers. Meanwhile, on ground, it wasn't much easier.</p><p>"They just keep coming!" Bandana managed to stab two at once.</p><p>Utilizing a spin slash, Meta Knight destroyed a large majority of the blobs. A sudden large rumble drew his attention. It looked as if it was coming from Ledo and Chamber's own fight. Then the feeling came. It was a dreadful feeling, like he could feel all the anger, hate, and sadness around him at near-full volume. It had been in the back of his head this whole time, but it was particularly acting up now.</p><p>"Of all times this has to happen, why now?!" Meta Knight stumbled a bit as he cut several more apart.</p><p>"Meta-sensei…I don't really feel that good…" It seemed like his student was being affected by it as well.</p><p>"Hang in there, Kirby!" He quickly wrapped himself in his cape and teleported over, slicing apart the enemies that were starting to close in on the pink puff. "You were able to handle a Dark Star and Hyper Zone once already, Kirby! You can handle this!" Just as he said that he winced again.</p><p>"I know, but…it wasn't nearly as bad there as it is right now…" he stabbed some more of the blobs.</p><p>"This is because of Striker, no doubt…"</p><p>While Kirby and Meta Knight's species was famous for their incredible strength, they did have a few flaws. One in particular was their extreme sensitivity to the negative and positive energy that is exhibited through emotions. To much of a surge in said emotions could overload them, causing them to pass out. The reason why Kirby didn't need to worry about it during his previous battles with Dark Matter and Zero was because that specific Dark Matter was "perfected" so to say. It was at its completion, all it needed to do was possess people giving off these energies and spread itself further. However, Striker was using it as a power source, forcing Dark Matter to constantly be generated and strengthened by negative emotions, likely why that rain ritual was happening. All of these factors resulted in a Hyper Zone that emitted powerful surges of pure, raw negative emotion. To make it even worse, they seem to be growing stronger and stronger as time passes and with each surge, the two puffs began to feel more and more lightheaded. There is no doubt about it, Striker was trying to create a Dark Star.</p><p>The knight was broken out of his thoughts by a sudden hammer swing.</p><p>"MK! If you and that pink lump can't handle this, then get outta here!" the king gave a knowingly concerned look towards them, aware of why the two puffs were acting so unusual right now.</p><p>"Dedede, do you really think that you and Bandana can handle this alone?!" he shouted.</p><p>"I don't think! I know!" the king gave a grin as he charged towards the enemies.</p><p>"This isn't the time for you to show off your stupid pride, Dedede! This is serious!"</p><p>The penguin glared towards him. "I'm dead serious, Meta Knight." The weighty tone Dedede's voice had when he said that was so unlike him it was startling.</p><p>"Great King, I'm right behind you!"</p><p>"Alright, let's smash some heads then!"</p><p>Before the king and his assistant could charge forward, they were cut off by a freezing laser. "GAH! HOW DARE YOU! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY MOMENT OF GLORY!"</p><p>"Is that how you thank someone who helped you? That's a bit rude."</p><p>"Daroach!" the mouse thief tipped his hat brim upon hearing Kirby exclaim that.</p><p>"Here! This should give you two some energy!"</p><p>"Adeleine and Ribbon!" The fairy tossed two pieces of cake the artist painted towards the two puffs.</p><p>"Thank you!" the pink puff handed one to Meta Knight, who took it hesitantly.</p><p>"…thank you."</p><p>"Geez, talk about perfect timing…" Dedede mumbled, but there seemed to be some positivity in his tone, sharply contrasting his angry tone from earlier.</p><p>"Sorry, we would've gotten here sooner, but we had to finish off all of those minibosses!" Adeleine smiled.</p><p>"I'm just happy you guys are here!"</p><p>The knight looked to his student, who appeared to be feeling better already. He himself also began to feel the dread began to wash away. Naturally, a rush of positive energy has an opposite effect on his and Kirby's species, even allowing them to survive large surges in negative energy if needed.</p><p>A giant sword cut down several more of the blobs as Magolor's group arrived on the scene. "Oh, sorry, are we late to the party?" he gave a mischievous smile.</p><p>"Looking above us, it seems it just started…" Taranza pointed towards the sky.</p><p>"We may be limited with what we can do in the air, but we should do what we can to help him from the ground." Susie launched some drill bits, which attacked Striker.</p><p>"ACHTUNG!" Shortly after, Marx rocketed out of the ground, startling a handful of people. "Wow! If you guys were scared by that, it's a miracle that you made it this far! I think I know a phrase that relates to that, but it slipped my mind…Geez, so many Treppenwitz today…"</p><p>"Nobody cares! Just focus on fighting these things!" Bio Spark shouted as he cut through several of the blobs.</p><p>"Don't forget about us!" Nago ran through riding on Rick in his stone form, followed by the other Animal Friends, who also began to attack the blobs.</p><p>A burning fireball rocketed through several of the matter blobs. "Gooey has also come to help!"</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, what are your next orders?" The knight turned to see that his subordinates arrived.</p><p>"Trident Knight, Javelin Knight, both of you assist the ensign! I don't think we can destroy Striker, but if you can give him openings, he will. Axe Knight, Mace Knight, cover them!"</p><p>"YES, SIR!"</p><p>"We'll join you in providing cover fire!" Francisca, Flamberge, and Zan Partizanne had also arrived and were preparing their cannons.</p><p>More blobs were pierced by spears that appeared from magic circles. "Did somebody order assistance?"</p><p>"Ah! Hyness is here, too!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>Dedede slammed his hammer on the ground. "Alrighty everyone! Listen here! All of you that can shoot, focus your fire on that bag of bolts! The more hits Chamber an' Ledo can get in, the faster we can trash that thing! Everyone else fight these blobs and provide cover for 'em, ya hear?"</p><p>There were several nods of understanding.</p><p>"Great! Now, let's get this party started!"</p><hr/><p>After several more missiles were fired off, Striker managed to land a shot directly hitting the left missile launcher, forcing it to be disposed. Another high-speed flying and shooting match ensued, forcing the ensign to be on guard for attacks.</p><p>"How is it this strong without a pilot!?" Ledo grumbled as he dodged another laser.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Striker must have analyzed the way that Lieutenant Colonel Kugel pilots and used that data to optimize its autopilot program. It is 47% more agile than me."</em> </span>
</p><p>That would probably explain it. Kugel was the leader of his own unit for a reason. Striker's high-speed shooting was hard to dodge, causing several near misses.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Surrender and obey."</em> </span>
</p><p>While Chamber didn't seem to be taking any damage, it was unknown how long that would last. Not to mention that a time limit had also been put on defeating Striker, based on what Meta Knight said. There was no way he was going to let a Dark Star form. The two mechs clashed.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Submission leads to peace. Understand that, ensign Ledo." </em> </span>
</p><p>With a flick of the wrist, the gatling gun was wrecked, forcing it to be discarded. He fired off multiple shots at Striker to force it to back away. The two stared at each other in a stalemate, waiting for the other to attack first. Suddenly, several swords burst out from the ground, attacking Striker.</p><p>"What the!?" the young man looked down to see a small object flying straight towards the opposing Machine Caliber. "Is that…Dark Meta Knight?"</p><p>"The one and only!" The copy grinned.</p><p>"You! Why are you here?!" Meta Knight shouted.</p><p>"Relax Mety, I'm not here for you this time! I'm here for the flying junkyard who thinks they can use me and get away with it!" He created several mirror copies of himself before charging towards the machine.</p><p>"Is he suicidal?" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"No, your highness, I think he's just very angry, right Meta Knight?" Bandana turned to see Meta Knight being strangely quiet while listening to the device that allowed him to talk to Ledo and Chamber.</p><p>"Yo, what's up?"</p><p>"Meta-sensei, what's wrong?"</p><p>The knight silently put a hand to his head, slightly trembling. "…Ledo…for the love of Nova…please don't…"</p><hr/><p>With Dark Meta Knight now distracting Striker, now was the chance for him to counterattack. There was only one thing Ledo could think of that could possibly defeat the Machine Caliber. It might startle the others, but there was no other option that he could think of.</p><p>"Chamber! Maximize! Enable Neuro-Plus power!"</p><p>There was silence from the machine in reply to that order.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I cannot authorize that. Without proper support, neuromechanical merge is suicidal."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I don't care, do it anyway!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Permission denied."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Ledo… for the love of Nova…please don't…" He heard a faint voice come through a connected device, but immediately shut off the volume. This was a decision between him and Chamber.</p><p>Then, as if realizing the reasoning for Chamber's response, Ledo gave a sad smile. "It's okay, Chamber. I must clear the shame of mankind's name. I feel the same as you did earlier about what Striker had said."</p><p>No response.</p><p>The young man looked at the opposing Machine Caliber. "The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that Striker could synchronize so easily with something that feeds off negativity like Dark Matter. It's a monster given birth to by a species that couldn't stop hating each other, even after it costed them their home. You and I were born and raised in the same dimension…no, in the same world that it was. The three of us are the same and therefore don't belong on this peaceful planet. Not only that, but we can't return home either, so it doesn't even matter what happens. As long as we can stop this thing and save Dreamland, I'll have no regrets."</p><p>There was silence between pilot and machine.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Final confirmation: are you willing to sacrifice your life, ensign Ledo?"</em> </span>
</p><p>The young man tried to answer, but hesitated. Several thoughts began to scramble around in his mind. All he felt he could do is speak what he felt.</p><p>"I…"</p><p>His mind flashed back to all of the experiences he had in Dreamland. That time where the puff and his friends showed him around Dreamland. The Megaton Punch tournament. The Gourmet Race. Even just talking with those he met.</p><p>"My whole life...I knew how to die…" he clenched mech's controls.</p><p>"…but I didn't know how to live…" the more he remembered the events, good and bad, that took place while in Dreamland, the feeling of wetness that had begun to develop in his eyes became stronger.</p><p>"But… Kirby… no, not just Kirby…it was also Lord Meta Knight…and King Dedede…and Bandana Dee…they were there to help me find out how to live…" The quartet's words of encouragement from that night on the Halberd entered his mind.</p><p>"I wish I could've seen them again…" At this point, tears were streaming down Ledo's face.</p><p>"I wish…I could hear their voices again…" there was a moment of silence before he was startled by an alarm and the cockpit's sudden change to an orange hue. Several warning screens appeared on the monitor<em>.</em></p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Your current mental state makes you unfit to continue as a soldier. As such, I am relieving you of your military duties, effective immediately."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Wait, Chamber!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Noncombatants are not permitted to enter the cockpit. Exit the unit immediately."</em> </span>
</p><p>He was jolted by a sudden rumbling.</p><hr/><p>When Ledo looked down, he saw that his cockpit was detached from the top of Chamber's head.</p><p>"What are you doing, Chamber?!" he shouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am an interface system that oversees and supports the development of pilots. I exist solely to set you up for success."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Are you serious…? But you…" The mech turned to face him.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"These skies and seas hold great possibilities for you. Stay alive. Pursue happiness. I expect much from your life."</em> </span>The mech then turned back away from him.</p><p>"Chamber…" the young man sounded as if part of his heart was crumbling.</p><p>He noticed several teleportation moves happen in a row around him. He wondered what it was until he saw it was Kirby wearing a sideways-turned baseball cap with balls of energy in his stubs. He recognized it as the ESP ability.</p><p>The puff stopped right in front of Chamber.</p><p>"CHAMBER!" A burst of psychic energy halted both the detached cockpit and the machine. "LEDO STILL NEEDS YOU, YOU DUMMY!"</p><p>"Kirby…!" the young man was stunned from both the puff's words and the burst of energy.</p><p>"You're not done with your duties yet, Chamber. Ledo still needs your strength if he wants to survive." While it was a bit shakier than normal, he knew that it was Meta Knight.</p><p>"The kid may have been disqualified from being a soldier, but he's still green when it comes to being human." Daroach nodded.</p><p>"Do you remember the Invader Armors, Ledo? All of our employees can pilot them, and they aren't soldiers! Plus, I'm a secretary and I have my own machine! My point is, you can still be a pilot even if you're not a soldier!" that was unmistakably Susie.</p><p>"Besides, there ain't no way you dyin' unless I give you permission to, ya hear?!"</p><p>"Kirby! Return the cockpit to Chamber!" Meta Knight ordered.</p><p>"Roger!" More psychic energy washed over him and saw that he had returned to controlling Chamber.</p><p>"Now, go get 'em! Ledo!" Dedede cried.</p><p>"Yeah." He looked down at the console that held his communication device. "Chamber…I said that I don't know how to live… but even if I don't know, I can find out how…with Kirby and everyone…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"There is no failure in your logic."</em> </span>
</p><p>With a new determination, he glared at the machine in front of him. "Give me access to Maximize mode."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Roger. I will trust your judgement."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Take these!" a rainbow-colored sword and a heart-shaped rod were tossed to Kirby, who combined the two into a single weapon.</p><p>"What are you doing? What's that thing?"</p><p>"I'm giving you the advantage in this fight! I call it the Rainbow Stick!"</p><p>An immense power began to radiate from Chamber's harpoon-spear.</p><p>"The Rainbow Sword and the Love-Love Stick were weapons used to defeat Dark Matter and Zero in the past. The Love-Love Stick should make it particularly effective due to being created with pure positive energy from the Heart-Stars." Meta Knight explained.</p><p>"Ah..."</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo. You are not fit to be a soldier. You must be eliminated."</em> </span>Striker finally was able to break free of Dark Meta Knight's mirror sword attack.</p><p>"I don't care what you say about me, I'll live! I'll live and fight for this planet!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"My mission is to support Ensign Ledo in that fight."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Let's go, Chamber! There's nothing to hold us back anymore! Maximize! Enable neuro-plus power!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Roger." </em> </span>
</p><p>The lines on his pilot suit began to turn green, which was synced up with the colored lines on Chamber's own body changing to a green color.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Connecting all systems to the central nervous system."</em> </span>
</p><p>His mind slowly merged and began to feel one with the AI, letting out a slightly pained groan.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Critical performance limit updated to 153%. 482 seconds until vital signs fail."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's plenty." He uttered with in involuntary twitch.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Resistance is futile, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>With a charge, Chamber managed to damage Striker.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Furthermore, a development support system does not have the authority to relieve its pilot."</em> </span>Turning his machine, several missiles were launched at the opponent, each barely hitting. Striker countered by destroying the right missile launcher, forcing the ensign to switch to using the beam rifle.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Similar to you, this machine has confirmed system changes."</em></span> The bayonet on the front of his beam rifle shot out on a line, wrapping itself around the machine's leg.</p><p>"Don't let go!"</p><p>Striker flew about at high speeds in an attempt to shake them off, but to no avail. The immense change in pressure and speed put a lot of weight on the young man's body, but his machine continued to hang on tightly. The two machines fired at each other until a stray shot hit the line connecting the two, causing Chamber to spin off in front.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"T-minus 20 seconds left. Continued use of neuromechanical merge after that point will result in your death."</em> </span>
</p><p>The young man was huffing, and his heart was beating like crazy. His head was throbbing in pain.</p><p>"Just…a little bit longer…"</p><p>While intense on his own part, that clash did appear to deal much damage to Striker. It seems the others were right about the Rainbow Stick being the right weapon for this job.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Unit number K6821, you have abandoned even the first principal of support systems. You are clearly malfunctioning. Reset and reboot immediately. This is your final warning."</em> </span>The opposing Machine Caliber advanced, firing its beam rifle, each and every shot being dodged.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"My response to your final warning is as follows."</em> </span>
</p><p>Chamber thrusted the spear with one final burst of speed.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Go to hell, tin can!"</em> </span>
</p><hr/><p>There was a moment of hesitation upon the clash.</p><p>"…it's over."</p><p>The harpoon-spear had pierced Striker's head, including the core of Dark Matter. The mech was heavily damaged, as if the veins had retreated due to being destroyed. Body lines beginning to return to a normal blue color, Chamber flew back a bit and watched the opposing machine explode. A few of his allies had to avert their eyes from how bright the explosion was. When the light faded, there was nothing left but a glittery residue that fell upon them like snow. "…he did it!" Kirby was the first to speak up as Chamber landed.</p><p>"Guys! Look! Ledo did it!"</p><p>That was the moment everyone broke out into cheers.</p><p>"He did, didn't he?" the knight gave a sigh of relief.</p><p>"That means the Hyper Zone should fade away soon."</p><p>"Hahahaha! I told y'all he wasn't gonna die! He can't without my permission!"</p><p>"Hold on, we can't say for sure, Great King! We don't know how long he was in that merged state for! There's a chance that system thing was cut off too late!"</p><p>The crowd died down as Meta Knight began to listen in again. His hands were noticeably shaking as he listened to what was going on.</p><p>"I'm…still alive…?" The young man panted heavily. Every part of his body was screaming out in pain with his head in particular throbbing as if it was under immense pressure.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>He barely managed to catch his breath again. "…the Hyper Zone should disappear soon… correct?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's…a relief…" he never felt so…tired. His eyes were slowly beginning to close.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I detect several abnormalities in your brainwaves. Ensign Ledo, I recommend seeking medical attention immediately. I am contacting the Halberd now to request assistance."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber, just… please…let me rest a bit…"</p><p>He could hear panicked yelling as his eyes closed and his consciousness faded to black.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Was anyone expecting me to go the Super Robot Wars route with this? It'd be a nice surprise for those who didn't expect it, I imagine..</p><p>I would have tried to extend the length of this chapter, but I feel this is just the right length and nothing could really be added.</p><p>So what will happen next? Well, wait another week to find out! (Unless you're reading this after I already uploaded the next chapter or completed the story. Then never mind.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Return to Dreamland</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 19: Return to Dreamland</strong>
</p><p>
  <em> <span class="u"> "Measuring brainwaves…no abnormalities in basic rhythms detected. Ensign Ledo, awakening confirmed. Revival successful." </span> </em>
</p><p>The young man opened his eyes to the sound of his machine's operating system, a splitting headache, and a vague feeling of déjà vu.</p><p>"Cham…ber…?" he uttered.</p><p><em><span class="u">"In accordance with emergency protocol, I have preserved your bodily functions via cryostasis. One thousand four hundred forty-seven minutes have passed."</span></em> Chamber responded.</p><p>"How long is that…?" Ledo asked, groggily shaking his head.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Approximately one day has passed since you lost consciousness."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I…lost consciousness…? For a whole day?! How!?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative. Do you remember anything that happened, ensign?" </em> </span>
</p><p>When Chamber said that, his memories of the battle with Striker came flooding back to him. "We destroyed Striker and caused the Hyper Zone to vanish, didn't we?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"And…I used neuro-plus power?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. I severed its connection one second before your vital signs failed. However, the strain on your body from this sudden severing was still enough to cause you to pass out. I have performed a medical examination shortly before you awakened, and your body has recovered from the neuromechanical merge by about 78%. I do not recommend performing any activities that require strenuous movement until you have fully recovered."</em> </span>
</p><p>That likely means he won't be able to do any maintenance on the ship for a while. He suddenly remembered the panicked screaming as he fell unconscious.</p><p>"What about the others?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Outside of being concerned for you, they escaped from the Hyper Zone safely."</em> </span>
</p><p>That helped to put his nerves at ease at least. "So, where are we now?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "We are currently on the front of the battleship Halberd. I have notified the bridge about your awakening and the status of your health." </em> </span>
</p><p>"We're not in the inner hanger then?" he opened up his helmet. The screens on the cockpit activated to show the always-setting sun of Orange Ocean.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative. Lord Meta Knight wished to speak to you on top of the ship. I hypothesize that this is because it is a more solitary place to speak."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight…" a pit began to develop in his stomach.</p><p>Whatever the knight wanted to talk about, it almost definitely wasn't going to be a good thing. He just knew it.</p><hr/><p>Ledo continued to carve the Hideauze claw in silence. All he could do was wait for Meta Knight to show up. There was no doubt that this was going to be about what he said during the battle with Striker within the Hyper Zone. It was going to be a stern lecture at least and a berating, angry rant at most.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Lord Meta Knight is approaching, ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>With a troubled sigh, the ensign returned his pistol and claw to his pocket. Upon exiting the cockpit and being lowered down by Chamber, he saw the knight was the only person waiting for him on deck with his cape wrapped around himself. It helped to hammer in the idea that he wanted to talk to the ensign alone. How he was able to convince people as stubborn as Kirby and King Dedede was anyone's guess. Out of habit, the young man knelt to put himself more at eye level. The two stared at each other in silence. It didn't take long for Ledo to break eye contact. He honestly felt too ashamed to look his superior in the eyes, especially with how judgmental they can feel at times like now. Shortly after, the knight slowly began to walk over.</p><p>"...Lord Meta Knight, I..." a sharp pain burst through his cheek and it took him a moment to realize that he had just been slapped.</p><p>"Saying things like 'We don't belong on this peaceful planet' and that you don't care if you die? What... what the hell were you thinking!?" the knight was visibly trembling as his eyes began to flicker to red.</p><p>"It's as I said, I'm no different from Striker and don't..."</p><p>"That's not an excuse! Did you forget what I told you!?" His voice became shakier, as if his usual calm demeanor was beginning to crumble the more he spoke.</p><p>"...no matter what happens, I'll always be part of your crew." He was still unable to look him directly in the eyes out of shame. "But...after what Striker did I..."</p><p>There was a sudden clattering that drew his attention, followed by silence as the ensign stared shocked at the puff's now-exposed face. His expression was that of dire concern.</p><p>"Ensign…no, Ledo…no matter what happened in your past, you are part of my crew and my crew is my family." To the young man's surprise, tears began to roll down his face. "And as my family, if you died out there, I...I... I'D NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGIVE MYSELF!"</p><p>Ledo was silent. There was only one thing he could think of to do at this point. He bowed deeply towards him.</p><p>"...I'm sorry, sir..."</p><p>The young man was worried about how he would respond. Would this just make him angry? He knew he was mostly worried but…</p><p>"…raise your head."</p><p>"…Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"Raise your head."</p><p>Not wanting to potentially anger him further than he likely had, he did as he was told.</p><p>"Ensign...welcome home..." his tearful, yet joyful smile framed against the orange sea was something the young man would never forget.</p><p>He returned it with his own, one that shined brighter than it ever had.</p><p>"...it's good to be home, Lord Meta Knight."</p><hr/><p>After bringing Chamber inside the main hanger, Ledo exited the cockpit and hopped onto the floor of the main hanger. The blue puff waited for him to catch up as they began to walk to the bridge.</p><p>"The crew is anxious to see you again, especially Vul and Sailor Dee."</p><p>"…I assume what happened up there is to stay between us, Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>There was a brief stutter before a slightly embarrassed answer "…y-yes…" he seemed to be slightly surprised by how fast the young man had caught on.</p><p>Suddenly, the ensign stopped moving.</p><p>"…what's wrong, Ledo?"</p><p>Before he got an answer, he caught a familiar pink ball precisely in his hands.</p><p>"Hello, Kirby." He gave a smile as he pulled him closer.</p><p>The puff suddenly became teary eyed and started hitting him on the forehead with both of his stubs. Thankfully, it wasn't too painful, likely because he didn't have a copy ability.</p><p>"STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!"</p><p>"Ow…ow…who are you saying that to?!"</p><p>"YOU AND CHAMBER! BOTH OF YOU! I…" the child's yelling slowly transitioned into sobbing. "I…I was worried that both of you would… you would…" as if frustrated with his own inability to properly express his thoughts, the puff threw himself into the young man's chest and just continued to cry. As if slightly confused about what to do in this situation, he awkwardly put an arm around Kirby, slightly rubbing his head with his other hand.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not understand why he was calling me stupid."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I'll explain later, Chamber…" he gave a sigh.</p><p>"YOU MORON!" both the ensign and the knight staggered a bit forward when they heard that shout.</p><p>"What the…ACK!" Ledo felt himself being suddenly crushed in a bear hug. There was no doubt who it was. "You idiot! How dare you and your tin can go off trying to die without my permission!"</p><p>He could've sworn he heard his back crack. "Dedede…stop…my…my back…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"King Dedede, please refrain from using too much strength when handling Ensign Ledo. His central nervous system has not yet fully recovered from the neuromechanical merge."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Central neuro what now?! Say it in a language I can speak!"</p><p>"Weren't you there when Susie and Chamber explained?"</p><p>"Ya really think I'm gonna understand a lick of what that lady and tin can are sayin'!?"</p><p>"Simply put, that neuro-plus system enhances Chamber's combat ability by connecting directly to Ledo's brain and spinal cord. Nova help me if you don't know what the brain and spinal cord are…"</p><p>"I know what the brain and spinal cord are! Whaddya think I am, dumb or somethin'?!"</p><p>"Dedede…stop… crushing…"</p><p>"Do you really want me to answer that?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Lessen your strength or unhand the ensign immediately. This is your final warning."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Alright! Alright! I get it! Sheesh, talk about pushy…"</p><p>The young man felt a bit better after his grip was loosened.</p><p>"A bunch of the others was sayin' you were dead! Tell ya what, I didn't believe 'em 'cuz you knew you couldn't die unless I say so!"</p><p>Even though he sighed in response, the young man knew that was just the king's way of saying that he cared about him. Another set of arms wrapped around his leg. He lifted it and pulled off Bandana Dee, who promptly joined Kirby in crying into his chest.</p><p>"You were worried about me as well, Bandana?" there was only a silent nod.</p><p>"Yeah…Bandana cried so much he lost his voice." Dedede explained.</p><p>"Ah…"</p><p>"I know you three are excited to see him, but the rest of my crew is waiting for him." The knight sighed.</p><p>"Eh? Then we'll just have to come with him! Besides, I don't think you're getting Bandana and that pink lump off of him anytime soon!"</p><p>"Fair enough."</p><p>Honestly, the ensign didn't mind it at all. It made him feel a bit more at home.</p><hr/><p>Upon entering the bridge, he felt another tackle on his leg, nearly causing him to lose balance. Thankfully, Dedede was behind him to help catch him.</p><p>"LEDOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!"</p><p>"Ah! Sailor! Watch it! My balance!"</p><p>"Welcome back, kid." In front of the ship's wheel, Captain Vul gave him a sort of toast with his pipe and a grin.</p><p>"It's good to be back, Captain Vul." he was about to salute in response, but stopped when he realized his hands were full. He then noticed the avian captain seemed to be examining him.</p><p>"Really looks like you've grown a lot."</p><p>"I thought so as well." Meta Knight added with a nod.</p><p>"I don't think my body can grow that much in a few days, sir…"</p><p>"I don't mean like that, kid. You beat that bag of bolts Striker and its fake Kugel on your own. Seeing how insanely powerful that thing was, I can imagine even some of the strongest warriors would be intimidated by it. Takes a whole lotta courage to do something like that, I think."</p><p>"Is…that so…?" there seemed to be a bit of depression in his voice.</p><p>"Oh…uh…sorry about that, I guess talking 'bout Kugel might still be a sensitive issue for you."</p><p>The young man hesitated a moment before speaking again. "…I don't really know what the Lieutenant Colonel was thinking when he came up with that idea for his society…but I rejected it. So I could live as a human."</p><p>Vul gave a slight laugh. "Wonderful. I can't wait to see how far you'll go, kid."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"I believe I heard something about you not being fully healed." A familiar kunoichi appeared next to the young man startling him.</p><p>"Head Nurse Bio Gale, for the last time, you are forbidden from treating the ensign right now."</p><p>"Are you saying I'm not allowed to do my job, Lord Meta Knight?" she gave a cold glare towards him.</p><p>"No, I'm saying I don't trust you to be careful with him right now."</p><p>"Oh? Is that so?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Head Nurse Bio Gale, the area that requires healing is the central nervous system. The ensign has currently been making progress by simply resting and refraining from participating in strenuous activities."</em> </span>
</p><p>Hearing that seemed to make the nurse think for a moment. "…the central nervous system, huh…" she uttered in a low voice, her eyes seeming to scan over the ensign.</p><p>"Do. Not." The knight punctuated sternly, knowing very well that tone.</p><p>"While it is against my oath as a doctor, just this once I will overlook this."</p><p>The young man seemed to heave a sigh of relief.</p><p>"However. If you show any signs that your condition is worsening, come see me immediately."</p><p>"Ms. Gale, please don't hurt him…" Kirby uttered.</p><p>Her gaze seemed to soften. "I don't plan on it."</p><p>Just as suddenly as she appeared, she vanished. The ensign had been on the ship long enough to know that she was merely hiding in the shadows nearby.</p><p>"Well, now that that's out of the way…Sword Knight, Blade Knight!"</p><p>"Sir!" the two knights said with a salute.</p><p>"Bring the rest of the Meta-Knights here!"</p><p>"Yes, sir!" After giving a brief wave towards Ledo, the two subordinates exited the room. "Um…about the other Meta-Knights, sir…are you sure they'll be fine with me being back?"</p><p>"Do not worry about that."</p><p>"He raked them over the coals while you were unconscious." Vul rubbed the back of his head. "I honestly don't remember the last time I saw him be so furious."</p><p>Meta Knight seemed to slightly advert his eyes.</p><p>"It was horrifying…" Sailor Dee squeaked. Remembering the several brief moments he's seen the knight show genuine anger towards him, Ledo couldn't help but feel a bit bad for them. After a couple of minutes, the other Meta-Knights entered the bridge.</p><p>"Sir, you ordered us to come here?" Mace Knight asked, saluting alongside the other members. He turned his head towards the young man "Ah! Ensign Ledo! Good to see you're finally awake."</p><p>"Thank you, Mace Knight."</p><p>"We were a bit worried after we heard about how that neuromechanical merge worked."</p><p>"I appreciate it, Javelin Knight."</p><p>He turned to notice that Axe Knight and Trident Knight looked particularly tense and were trembling, almost unable to look either their lord or the ensign in the eyes. They jumped upon hearing their leader clear his throat.</p><p>"Well, don't you two have something you wish to say?" The knight asked with an obvious edge to his tone.</p><p>Axe Knight gave a slight cough before speaking. "Um, well…it's…it's good to have you back?"</p><p>"Y-yeah what he said." Trident Knight added.</p><p>"Quit wasting all of our time and say it already." Meta Knight suddenly pointed his sword at his two subordinates, startling them.</p><p>"Ok! Ok! Ledo, we're sorry for how we treated you!"</p><p>"And we're glad that you're safe!"</p><p>"Please forgive us!" the two knights bowed towards the ensign.</p><p>"Um…Lord Meta Knight, I appreciate it, but you didn't need to force them to apologize…"</p><p>"Such behavior is inexcusable. I will not tolerate it." He glared towards the two subordinates. "Isn't that right, Axe Knight and Trident Knight?"</p><p>"Yes, sir! We're sorry, sir!"</p><p>Meta Knight only sighed "Words cannot describe how disappointed I am in you two for such behavior…"</p><p>"It will not happen again, sir!"</p><p>"I think they understand, Lord Meta Knight…" Ledo managed to get a word in. His superior exhaled deeply, as if trying to calm himself down. For a moment, Mace Knight seemed to mumble something to Javelin Knight.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative, Mace Knight. Due to how close his vitals were to failing after utilizing the neuromechanical merge, Ensign Ledo's body still needs to recover and is therefore on mandatory rest from maintenance."</em> </span>
</p><p>The four knights gave an audible scream of dread and shock.</p><p>"Why are you so surprised? Weren't you here when Chamber was explaining that?" Vul questioned.</p><p>"I didn't think it was that serious!"</p><p>"I HEARD SCREAMING!" The four Meta-Knights screamed even louder upon Bio Gale's appearance and promptly bolted out the room.</p><p>"WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?! ON MY OATH AS A DOCTOR, I SWEAR I WILL CURE YOU! DO YOU NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF "I SHALL BE LOYAL TO MY WORK AND DEVOTED TOWARDS THE WELFARE OF THOSE COMMITTED TO MY CARE"!? she raced after them.</p><p>"Why were they screaming?" Dedede asked.</p><p>"It's better if you don't know…"</p><p>"He can injure himself if he wants to find out so badly." Vul uttered, readying a tranquilizer gun.</p><p>"It's better if he doesn't know."</p><p>"Yup." The captain gave a nod before following after the knights and head nurse.</p><p>Dedede was slightly confused by their statements but merely shrugged it off. "Ok, now that we know the princess is safe, I say we throw a party!"</p><p>Kirby and Bandana both immediately perked up upon hearing that. "A PARTY!"</p><p>"Please don't call me that…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I believe such words are ineffective, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Dedede, I'm not sure that's a good idea with Ledo's condition."</p><p>"Huh? But Meta-sensei, doesn't he just have to not work really hard?"</p><p>"Considering how some of our allies can be and how Dedede's hug was hurting his back, no."</p><p>"LET ME FINISH TALKING FOR ME'S SAKE!" the king shouted before clearing his throat and continuing. "We're gonna have the party in 7 days. That'll give the Waddle Dees plenty of time to prepare the castle, Bandana plenty of time for his voice to recover, Kawasaki plenty of time to prepare the food, and, most importantly, plenty of time for the princess to rest. Happy?"</p><p>"In that case, then I have no issues."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Agreed. I do not see any flaws in your logic."</em> </span>
</p><p>The monarch gave a satisfied grin. "Great! Come on, Bandana! Let's tell all the other Dees what's going on!" The Waddle Dee in question gave a nod and hopped down, following after him.</p><p>"I'll let the rest of the knights know. Sword Knight, Blade Knight, come with me."</p><p>"Yes, sir!" Meta Knight turned to the Waddle Dee still attached to Ledo's leg. "Come on, Sailor Dee. We have to go after them. I'm sure Vul would like the extra help wrangling our head nurse…" The Dee gave a nod and followed after them.</p><p>This left Kirby and Ledo to remain in the room in silence.</p><p>"Hey Kirby." the young man spoke up, sitting down as the pink puff continued to hold on to him. "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything…but is there a reason you were so determined to stop Chamber from self-destructing? Besides Chamber being your friend."</p><p>The pink puff looked up at him and hesitated to speak for a moment. "Do you remember Susie mentioning how the Haltmann Works Company once mechanized all of Dreamland?"</p><p>"I believe I do…it was when I met her at that café."</p><p>"Well…the mother computer of that company was a Clockwork Star named Star Dream. Star Dream had determined all organic lifeforms to be inefficient and wanted to eliminate all of them within the universe. So, I used the Robobot Armor's copy ability to copy the Halberd and go after it since it flew into space."</p><p>"Robobot Armor?"</p><p>"It's what I called the Invader Armor borrowed from the Haltmann Works company. Susie says it can change based on whoever uses it, so that's probably why it can scan enemies and change into various modes like my copy ability."</p><p>"That's… quite amazing…"</p><p>"I know! Plus, she said that whenever I would register as a pilot of one, its memory data would link and carry over to the next unit, making it just like the very first one I piloted! But…to continue...I copied the Halberd to go after Star Dream, and we managed to destroy it! But…" his tone became slightly more depressed.</p><p>"I don't really remember what happened after that, since Star Dream's explosion made me fall unconscious, but when I woke up, I was back on Popstar and I saw that it was back to normal! But…I heard what happened from Meta Knight when I met up with him on the Halberd shortly after. The damaged Robobot Armor…apparently removed me from the controls and sent me back to Popstar…how I got on the ground was probably because Meta Knight helped me, but…" his voice quivered a bit as the tears began again.</p><p>"The Robobot Armor…was my friend and…the more I thought about you and Chamber, the more I…when I thought Chamber was going to self-destruct…I…I…" the puff's sobs cut himself off, as if both saddened by the memory and his inability to properly express it. "I…I'm so sorry… Meta Knight keeps saying I need to learn to stop cutting myself off like this when I'm explaining things but…"</p><p>"You were reminded of what happened to the Robobot Armor?"</p><p>The puff weakly nodded.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "…while I do not fully understand the logic that leads to such a thought process, I can understand that this is something that is of great value to you." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Uh-huh…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "However, rest assured that my duty is not over until Ledo has succeeded in his current mission." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Uh-huh…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Query: Are you paying attention?" </em> </span>
</p><p>"Uh-huh…"</p><p>"What was the last word Chamber said, Kirby?"</p><p>"…" noticing the puff's unresponsiveness coupled with a faint sob, the young man quickly thought of a solution.</p><p>"How about we go get some air for a bit?"</p><p>He received a faint nod in reply.</p><hr/><p>The near-perpetual sunset and the salty breeze of Orange Ocean was just the thing needed to help clear Ledo's mind. It also seemed to calm Kirby down, as his sobbing had become more sparing. Honestly, seeing Kirby act like that during his explanations of events that saddened him often forces the ensign to remember that, despite some of the so-called miracles he's performed, the hero was still a child. Perhaps that child-like innocence was why he was able to befriend so many people, including those who had once betrayed, tried to harm or even kill him. It's something that amazed him anytime he thought about it.</p><p>"...thank you."</p><p>Kirby looked up at him questioningly. "For?"</p><p>"Everything."</p><p>The pink puff paused for a moment. "No, thank you and Chamber."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: For what reason?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"...what for?"</p><p>He was met with a smile that sparkled like the stars "For being my friends!"</p><p>The young man could only smile back in response.</p><p>"Yeah..."</p><hr/><p>It didn't take long for the day of the party to come. Part of it may have been because Meta Knight was keeping Ledo busy by teaching him reading and writing during his rest period, but the young man didn't mind it at all. Looking around the balcony and into the castle interior indicated that there was a large crowd. Part of the large crowd came from Kirby's Helper friends showing up and the other part was the Waddle Dees acting as servers. It was beautifully decorated, but that was likely something that was expected. Honestly, it made him wish that he wore something nicer than his pilot suit despite Dedede saying not to worry about dressing formally.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Ensign Ledo, do you plan on walking around?"</em> </span>Part of the reason why part of the event was outside was to allow Chamber to be there as well.</p><p>"I will at some point. But...it's awfully crowded...maybe I should...Dedede's going to be on me if I just sit here the whole time..."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I leave the decision up to you, ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>"I know."</p><p>Knowing him and Kirby, they were already making work of the buffet table, with Meta Knight sighing at them in annoyance while Bandana yelled at them for it.</p><p>"The night air really helps clear your mind, doesn't it?"</p><p>"I guess. I just thought it was a bit stuffy in there..." Magolor and Taranza stepped up next to him.</p><p>"Ah! Ledo! I knew you'd come around eventually!" the blue mage chirped with a smile.</p><p>"Says the guy who was out back crying while digging a grave with Marx..."</p><p>Magolor jolted. "Um...that wasn't a grave. That was a... hole for a drinking well! Yes! A hole for a drinking well!"</p><p>Both the spider mage and the young man stared at him in suspicion.</p><p>"Okay! Okay! It was a grave! I was worried you died!"</p><p>"Glad to see you have so much faith in him, Magolor..."</p><p>"Shush, you!"</p><p>"Regardless of your actions, I appreciate your concern for me."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I agree." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Ah! Thank you, so much! I told you I can be a nice guy, yes?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Other than previously accessing data considered classified..."</em> </span>
</p><p>"THAT WASN'T MY FAULT! YOU BOTH WERE THE ONES WHO TOLD ME TO TRANSLATE IT!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. However, you still agreed to it and therefore there is some responsibility on your part."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Gag me..." he briefly looked at the young man for a moment. "So... uh..." he handed Ledo a flower greatly resembling that of the Dreamstalk's. It took a moment for Ledo to piece together what it meant.</p><p>"I appreciate your concern as well, Taranza."</p><p>"Yeah...just...don't do this again, you hear!? I don't think my heart can take anymore shocks like that!" he grumbled.</p><p>"I'll try. No promises, though."</p><p>Taranza looked as if he was about to say something, but only gave a sigh in response.</p><p>"Oh, by the way, I thought I'd give you a heads up, but you might want to head inside now if you want something to eat. It's going quickly and it'll be a while until the cooks can make some more."</p><p>"Is it because of Dedede and Kirby?"</p><p>"Yup."</p><p>It was just as he expected. He probably should have something.</p><hr/><p>As Ledo entered the building, he could make out clearly where the buffet table was. It was close to the table that Dedede and Kirby were scarfing down their food at. Just then, he noticed what seemed to be a dark blue orb out of the corner of his eye. But as he turned towards it, he saw no sign of it being there. Then he looked directly above him and saw Gooey...sticking to the ceiling.</p><p>"Gooey?"</p><p>The moment the blob heard the young man say his name, he dropped straight down into Ledo's arms.</p><p>"Ah, Ledo! Gooey is happy to see you! Gooey was worried! ...Gooey thinks."</p><p>"You think you were worried?"</p><p>"Maybe." The blob said with an unchanging expression. The young man sighed. For someone like Gooey, that was a typical response.</p><p>"Well, I'm happy to see you, too, Gooey. By the way, could you tell me what you were doing on the ceiling?"</p><p>"Gooey was looking for food, Gooey thinks."</p><p>The ensign was easily able to mentally translate what this meant. "Well, the food is over there. You should get over there before Kirby and Dedede eat it all." He turned towards the table to show him.</p><p>"Gooey thanks you, Ledo."</p><p>Then the blob used his tongue to grapple back to the ceiling and started walking towards the food. Speaking of which, it seemed about time for him to grab some for himself. He had heard several good things about Kawasaki's cooking from Dedede and wanted to try it for himself.</p><hr/><p>Luckily, he was able to find somewhere to sit despite the large crowd. The young man wouldn't have minded sitting with Kirby and Dedede, but they were already preoccupied with stuffing themselves and getting yelled at by Bandana Dee. Taranza would have probably been there, too, but he likely got a migraine from constant shouting. Meta Knight was probably with Bandana so he could restrain the two if needed. Knowing his sweet tooth, it was probably also so he'd have quick access to the dessert buffet when it's served. Well...he should probably start eating before his food got cold. When he went to take a bite of his meal, he noticed his fork was missing.</p><p>"What? I don't think I dropped my fork." Ledo quickly looked next to him. No one.</p><p>"Wait a minute..." He looked behind him. "Daroach was that you?"</p><p>The thief tipped his hat brim. "Hey, kid, good to see you again. It's good to see that you're still in one piece. That alone is worth celebrating, no?"</p><p>The young man gave a nod. "It's good to see you, too, Daroach, but why did you take my fork?"</p><p>The thief briefly twirled the utensil on one of his fingers. "A test, and you passed. Wanted to see if you kept those reflexes and observation skills of yours. Plus, you owe me, remember?" With a swift movement, the thief took a bite of Ledo's meal. "And now we're even."</p><p>"What about Lord Meta Knight? Doesn't he also owe you?"</p><p>"He does. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about that. I'd like to save that for when I need it." Daroach gave a sly grin. "Well, gotta go, parties aren't really my thing. Well, unless I'm stealing from one. See you later, kid." And just like that, he vanished. Thankfully, there was another fork to replace the one that had been used.</p><p>"Chamber, what do you think Daroach is going to have Meta Knight do for him?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Hypothesis: it is insurance for when he requires assistance again."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That sounds reasonable. I was thinking he was going to ask him for treasure or something like that, but I think Daroach would rather steal it himself."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "There is no failure in that logic." </em> </span>
</p><p>He gave a nod.</p><p>Finally, it was time to eat.</p><hr/><p>Kawasaki's cooking was just as good as Dedede had said. As much as Ledo wanted to go grab a second helping, there was still dessert and he had to still keep in top physical shape for maintenance and pilot duties. He had only been able to walk around the ship the past few days if he wanted to exercise. That was when the young man decided to explore more of this part of the castle. He hadn't been in Dedede's castle often, with the last time being a few weeks ago, when he came to visit with Meta Knight. Even then, he wasn't able to explore it in depth. As he began to walk towards the hallway, he noticed someone standing by the wall. It was Susie. She was watching the party with a forlorn look on her face.</p><p>"Hello there."</p><p>The secretary immediately perked up. "Oh, hello Ledo. It's good to see that you're alive and well."</p><p>He leaned against the wall next to her to continue talking. "Same to you. What's the matter? Not enjoying the party?"</p><p>"Oh no! The party is great! It's just that… well..." she fidgeted a bit.</p><p>It didn't take Ledo long to figure out what exactly was bugging her. "I assume you're trying to stay away from Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"...was it that obvious?" Susie averted her eyes in embarrassment.</p><p>"A little. Well, if you didn't want to be seen by Meta Knight, why did you come?"</p><p>"Kirby wouldn't leave me alone about it and…well…I wanted to talk to you and Chamber again." She didn't directly say it, but the young man had a feeling that she was also worried due to hearing about the effects of neuromechanical merge from Chamber. It took him a few days to wrap his head around the idea that he was one second away from death as well. That was when an idea sparked.</p><p>"If you want Susie, Chamber's outside. You can talk to him about anything."</p><p>"Really!?" she asked in a hopeful tone.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. I talk with Ensign Ledo separately and can therefore have a separate conversation with you."</em> </span>
</p><p>"There's your answer."</p><p>Susie enthusiastically shook his hand. "Thank you very much Mr. Ledo! Mr. Chamber! Enjoy the rest of the party!" She walked away with a smile and excitement in her eyes.</p><p>"I hope that isn't a problem for you, Chamber."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Negative, ensign. It is easily within my capabilities." </em> </span>
</p><p>The young man smiled. He then saw a familiar pair walking towards him.</p><p>Ribbon was the first to speak. "Ah Ledo! It's great to see you again!"</p><p>"All of us were worried for you..." Adeleine added with a nod.</p><p>"Thank you, Ribbon, Adeleine. I'm doing much better now, though I'm still a bit sore." Actually, it was more of a headache, but he was still sore.</p><p>"Oh, in that case I know what will help!" The artist quickly sketched out a Maximum Tomato and handed it to him. "One bite of this is and you'll be at 200%!"</p><p>"Well, I'll give it a try if you say so... thank you." the moment he bit into it he began to feel his headache go away. "Woah...I do feel a lot better, actually. Say, how do you do that anyway?"</p><p>"Heh heh heh...sorry, artist's secret..." Adeleine replied in a teasing tone. It was likely similar to how Kirby's Artist ability worked.</p><p>"That's fair. Regardless, it was good seeing you two again."</p><p>"Oh, before you go, take this!" Ribbon then handed him a plush toy that looked like Chamber. "Adeline helped me make it! I hope you like it!"</p><p>The young man hesitated to speak for a moment. "... I love it. Thank you." He gave a smile in return.</p><p>"Great! I'm happy that you like it!" He gave a nod. "Ah! We should probably get something to eat before everything's gone!"</p><p>Adeleine looked over at the table. "Yeah...see you later, Ledo!"</p><p>"Yeah! Thank you again!"</p><hr/><p>After the duo walked away, Ledo vaguely felt like someone was watching him.</p><p>"If you want to say something to me, go ahead and do it." He turned his head to see that Dark Meta Knight was silently staring at him from afar.</p><p>"It's impressive that you lived through that fiasco." He said with a huff. While his tone was clearly condescending, the ensign noticed that there was also a hint of happiness to it. Though as to why he was happy, he couldn't tell. It could be part of that vain nature he heard about, but that didn't seem quite right.</p><p>"Thanks, I guess..."</p><p>The doppelganger gave a haughty glare. "…whatever."</p><p>Then the mirror warrior turned around and walked off, leaving the young man to continue staring in questioning. Suddenly Ledo's instincts made him quickly turn back around and grab an object that had been thrown at him. That object was...a shovel?</p><p>"Hey, Ledo! Hallo! Good catch! Mein lieber Herr Gesangsverein and whatnot! So, you must be feeling better then, ja?" A familiar jester bounced over on a ball.</p><p>"Marx, why did you throw a shovel at me?"</p><p>"It's a celebration gift, Dussel!" he tried his best to give an innocent-looking smile, only for the young man to stare at him in skepticism.</p><p>"...this is the shovel you used to dig a grave for me, isn't it?"</p><p>Marx jolted, almost falling off the ball he was on, and became frightened. "W-well uh...you see, uh... scheisse...OH, I THINK MAGS WANTS ME FOR SOMETHING! SEE YOU LATER LEDO!" he bolted off.</p><p>"Thanks for the shovel, Marx!" the ensign called after him, receiving no response.</p><p>More people seemed to be entering the castle from outside now and it was beginning to become a bit stuffy. Thinking about it, he should probably check on Chamber and Susie to see how they were. Just as he was about to head outside, he noticed a rose that looked as if it was made from mirror glass. Looking around him to see if anyone dropped it, he picked it up. <em>"For it not to break from falling, it must be made of some pretty hard glass..."</em> he thought. Tied to one of the leaves, there was a note that simply read "To the subordinate of a good friend".</p><p>"Chamber, do you have an idea of who this could be from?" he asked.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Hypothesis: it is someone that Meta Knight is friends with."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's likely the case...I don't think the Mage Sisters met with the Lieutenant Colonel..." the ensign placed the glass rose in his pocket, still getting the feeling that he was being watched. He shrugged it off and headed outside, not noticing Dark Meta Knight watching him from a corner.</p><hr/><p>Going outside, Ledo saw three familiar shapes on the balcony. It was Rick, Kine and Coo sharing a watermelon with each other.</p><p>"Hello, everyone. I hope I'm not interrupting you." He said as he joined them.</p><p>"G'day mate! Nah, you're fine!" the hamster replied.</p><p>"Good evening, Ledo." Coo nodded.</p><p>"Night? It's the middle of the day..." Kine uttered.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Coo is nocturnal, so it is night to him."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's correct."</p><p>"Does it matter what time it is?" Rick rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Anyway, come sit and have some melon!"</p><p>"Oh sure, thanks." He took a seat next to the hamster and took a piece. "Where's the others if you don't me asking?" he questioned, looking around.</p><p>"Nago's still eating. He wanted to get in all the fish he could before both Dedede and Kirby got to it." Rick explained.</p><p>"Pitch already tired himself out and is sleeping on Chamber. He said he didn't mind." Coo added.</p><p>"And Chuchu is stalking Kirby again. I don't think you'll get a chance to talk to her." Kine finished.</p><p>"That's fine, at least they're having fun." The young man replied.</p><p>Hopefully, he'll have the chance to at least get on good terms with Chuchu at some point.</p><p>Upon finishing his slice, he stood up again. "Thanks for the watermelon. Also, for helping me out back in the Hyper Zone."</p><p>"It ain't no problem mate! We're pals, aren't we?" Rick gave a thumbs-up.</p><p>"Yeah...yeah, we are." He nodded in gratitude.</p><hr/><p>After a brief chat with Susie while he checked in on her and Chamber, Ledo returned back inside the castle. While the young man continued to walk around, the first thing he slowly began to notice was how nice calm the music was for a bustling party. He expected Dedede to play something more upbeat because he thought this kind of slow, calming music was boring, but it was a fine change of pace to him. As he made his way throughout the hall, the ensign came across a group of people dancing, and four people in particular stood out to him. Flamberge and Francisca were dancing with each other while Zan Partizanne and Hyness were standing to the side watching. Before he knew it, he was suddenly being hugged.</p><p>"Hello young man. It's good to see you again. REJOICE AND BE GLAD, FOR THE GODS HAVE SPARED YOU! HAPPY DAY HAPPY DAY!"</p><p>"It's good to see you to Hyness...but could you let me go?"</p><p>"Of course, young man."</p><p>"Thank you." He turned to Zan. "It's good to see you as well, Zan."</p><p>"Likewise." she replied in an absent voice, as if she was seemingly lost in thought. She didn't even look at him upon giving her reply. That was when the young man noticed something. Zan was staring at the others dancing.</p><p>"Would you care to dance?"</p><p>Zan's eyes lit up in surprise as she looked at his outreached hand. "Do you know how?"</p><p>"No, but I'm told I'm a fast learner." Such was a comment often said by both Chamber and Meta Knight.</p><p>Zan giggled in amusement. "Very well, follow my lead." She said, taking his hand.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, in a darker corner of the room, Dark Meta Knight was sulking impatiently. To a few observant guests, he appeared to be waiting for something to happen. He silently fiddled with his cape, traced the ground in front of him with his sword, making crude drawings of whatever or whoever he chose to be his model. Sometimes, he would silently examine his tattered wings. After a couple of minutes, a mirror appeared beside him and a grey version of Kirby stepped out.</p><p>"...why are you here, Shadow Kirby?" he mumbled.</p><p>"You know it would've gone faster if you helped me, right?" the puff pouted, an expression that was a perfect copy of his normal counterpart's version.</p><p>The mirror knight abruptly shifted his eyes towards him, as if interested in that statement. The darker version of Kirby motioned into the mirror and out stepped Shadow Ledo, Shadow Dedede, and Shadow Bandana. The keen observer would've seen the copy's eyes light up for a moment, but he immediately turned away from them, as if to hide his expression.</p><p>"Hmph! About time you morons came back!" Dark Meta Knight grumbled haughtily.</p><p>"Lord Dark Meta Knight, is that a complement?" Shadow Ledo asked, kneeling next to him.</p><p>The dark warrior hesitated to answer before speaking. "…maybe you don't have a snail's brain after all." The tone he used was neutral, as if he neither confirmed nor denied such a thing.</p><p>"OI! THE HELL ARE YA CALLIN' A MORON?!" "Look in a mirror sometime, jackass! Oh wait, we live in one! LOOK IN THAT!" Shadow Dedede and Shadow Bandana yelled furiously.</p><p>"Piss off, you two! Why the hell did Shadow Kirby fix both of you anyway!?"</p><p>"CALLED BEIN' NICE! TRY IT ONCE IN A WHILE, ASSHOLE!"</p><p>"Hey pot, you really wanna make fun of the kettle like that? Boy, you're pathetic..."</p><p>"YOU LITTLE PISSANT!"</p><p>"Geez, can't you guys just get along for at least one day...?" Shadow Kirby shook his head.</p><p>While watching this conversation play out, Shadow Ledo began to gain a small smile. Despite Dark Meta Knight's neutral response to his question if his response was a complement, his tattered wings involuntarily flapped for a brief moment, as if indicating that he was happy about something.</p><p>"Great King, should we tell them to leave?" Bandana Dee pointed towards them from afar.</p><p>The king looked up from his steak. "If they ain't wrecking anything, leave 'em be."</p><hr/><p>A short time later, Meta Knight noticed that Kirby had slowed his eating, as if he was deep in thought about something. While this slowdown of his appetite was welcoming, considering that some food needed to be saved for the rest of the partygoers, it was still a bit unusual for someone like his student.</p><p>"Kirby, is there something wrong?" he sat next to him.</p><p>"Oh…uh…it's nothing!" the child laughed a bit while rubbing the back of his head.</p><p>"I know you're lying. Tell me." His eyes turned grass green while saying that. It was an obvious signal that he would force it out of him if he refused to talk about it.</p><p>The pink puff sighed and hesitated to speak for a moment. "Do…do you think that if we met Kugel and Striker earlier, they could've become our friends, too?"</p><p>The knight had a vague idea that it was something along those lines, but the question still caught him off guard. "…that's something I can't exactly answer. But, considering your nature, I'm sure they would have." Honestly, he was a bit unsure if that would make him feel completely better or not.</p><p>"Do you really think so?"</p><p>"I do. You know that as well as I do. You've befriended people that one could argue are worse than them." Honestly, Meta Knight wasn't entirely sure about what he was saying, as someone like Kugel and Striker were likely so set in stone it would be hard to get through to them, but there would have still been a chance considering the Jambastion religion followers.</p><p>"Ugh, can you two quit being so depressing? Just enjoy yourselves!" Dedede grumbled, scarfing down another plate of food. "Y'know, ya can't change the past and all that jazz."</p><p>"You say that, but you and Meta-sensei are always first to bring up the Fountain of Dreams incident!" Kirby pouted childishly in response.</p><p>"Now ya know how I feel whenever y'all keep bringin' up how I stole all the food and Sparkling Stars!" he scarfed down another chunk of meat.</p><p>"Great King, I think that and some of the other things you did outweigh what Kirby did…" Bandana hesitated a bit.</p><p>"And y'know who did something that outweighed those?! Meta Knight! He tried to take over my kingdom and barely anyone bats an eye at it!"</p><p>"Incorrect, Dedede. I have said before that I am quite ashamed of my actions at that time, and there are still some citizens who fear or scorn me about it to this very day."</p><p>"Yeah, sure, whatever…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: What does this conversation have to do with your original topic?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"OH SH-" Dedede nearly fell out of his chair when he saw Ledo standing next to him holding Chamber's communication device. "HOW LONG WERE YOU STANDING THERE?!"</p><p>"I believe it was two minutes, sire."</p><p>The king had a disoriented stare for a moment before clearing his throat, as if intending to change the subject. "So, princess, you have fun dancing with your girlfriend?" he leaned towards him with an elbow on the table.</p><p>"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" the young man stuttered as he felt his face become hot.</p><p>"HAHAHA! YOU SHOULD SEE HOW PINK YOUR FACE GOT! YOU ALMOST LOOK LIKE KIRBY! AHAHAHA!" the king laughed, pulling on his cheeks.</p><p>"Ow...ow…please stop that...you're hurting me…"</p><p>"Dedede are you picking on Ledo again?" Kirby had an annoyed pout on his face while saying that, causing the monarch to immediately stop.</p><p>"I don't know what you are talking about." He whistled causally, as if pretending that nothing happened.</p><p>"Aren't you going to say anything to defend him, Meta Knight?" Bandana questioned.</p><p>"Ledo is independent. He can decide what to counter with for himself."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"As is the case for me. I only provide the logic needed for Ensign Ledo to make informed decisions."</em> </span>
</p><p>The young man gave an irritated sigh, but he knew he wouldn't trade moments like this for the world.</p><p>"Hey, Bandana! You mind gettin' me some more steak?"</p><p>"Sorry, your highness, but we're out of food…"</p><p>The king did a double take upon seeing the empty buffet. "WHAAAAA!? WHAT HAPPENED?! THEM TABLES WAS PACKED EARILER TODAY!"</p><p>"Isn't it obvious? You and Kirby ate a majority of it with everyone else needing to rush to eat anything…" Ledo uttered, recalling what he had observed and Taranza's account of the happenings.</p><p>"I'M SORRY! EVERYTHING JUST LOOKED SO YUMMY THAT I COULDN'T HELP IT!" Kirby profusely apologized.</p><p>"THEN TELL THEM THERE CHEFS TO MAKE MORE!" Dedede shouted.</p><p>"They said there's no more ingredients left, your highness."</p><p>"ARRRGGHHHHH! THEN TELL SOMEONE TO GO TO THE STORE AND BUY SOME!"</p><p>"Great king, please just wait for dessert."</p><p>The king stopped talking before scoffing. "Hmph! Then I will!"</p><p>"At least show some restraint this time. There are others who'd like to eat as well…" The knight replied in a neutral tone.</p><p>"You mean for yourself, metal face?" Dedede snickered.</p><p>"You are so lucky I'm in a good mood today." The blue puff glared at him.</p><p>Ledo didn't really want to think about what would have happened if he was in a bad mood today. That was when he suddenly remembered the rose.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight."</p><p>The knight turned towards his subordinate upon hearing his name be called.</p><p>"You wouldn't happen to recognize this handwriting, or this rose, would you?" the young man showed him the mirror-glass rose.</p><p>"…I'm afraid I do not. However, the way this rose is shining, I believe it may have come from the Mirror World." he uttered in a low voice.</p><p>"Or it may just be an actual glass rose. Not everything is a Mirror World conspiracy, ya know." The king grumbled in response.</p><p>"I'd like to test that out, but I'd rather not break something that is a gift to you." The knight handed the flower back to Ledo.</p><p>"It's fine. Thanks for taking a look at it anyway." He replied.</p><p>The room was then filled with a sweet smell.</p><p>"Dessert is ready!"</p><p>The moment Kawasaki announced that, it seemed as if Dedede, Kirby, and even Meta Knight to a point were locked on to him. "Ah! I'm just gonna get out of the line of fire, so uh…buh-bye!" he ran back into the kitchen in a panic.</p><p>"…that isn't good." Bandana uttered.</p><p>"I assume you'll need my help restraining them?" the ensign stretched an arm as if warming up for a difficult fight.</p><p>The Waddle Dee turned to him. "Uh-huh…"</p><hr/><p>By the time the party was over it was fairly late at night, so Dedede demanded that Kirby, Ledo, and Meta Knight stay in one of the guest rooms. They would question why he'd let his rival stay so easily, but it was made obvious when the puff fell out of his chair due to how tired he was. After bidding Chamber good night, Bandana Dee was the one to guide them to their room for the night. The room was nice, but there was only a single king-size bed in it. Just as the other two were discussing the arrangements, Kirby plopped himself onto one size and immediately fell asleep. That left the rest of the bed for Ledo and Meta Knight. With a silent nod, they crawled in, turned off the light, and tried to fall asleep.</p><p>Unfortunately, it seems like sleep was evading the ensign, as he was still wide awake what felt like an hour later. He only sighed and turned in Kirby's direction. That was when he heard a faint sound next to him. That didn't make sense, since his superior should've fallen asleep by now. He tried to take a look but couldn't really see due to the room being barely lit by moonlight. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a flashlight, keeping another hand on his pistol just in case. Upon turning it on, he was a bit startled to see Meta Knight sitting there eating a few small cakes. Clearly, he had taken some food from the buffet and stashed it in his cape's subspace for later. The knight seemed to be equally startled by this, staring in stunned silence before a bright red blush shot across his face.</p><p>"D...do not speak of this to anyone, ensign..." he stuttered, covering his face.</p><p>"...yes, sir." He turned off his flashlight and laid back down.</p><p>Thankfully, Kirby was a heavy sleeper and his only reaction was to quietly nuzzle closer to Ledo. There were two faint rustles of cloth, likely the cape and bedcovers as the knight seemed to have decided to try and sleep. There was a faint murmuring from the pink puff.</p><p>"Did you enjoy the party, Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>There was some shifting, as if the latter was moving to better talk to him. "While I normally don't like attending large parties because I don't like large crowds, I found this particular one quite enjoyable. I could tell that you enjoyed it as well."</p><p>"Yeah. it was nice to meet up with everyone again. I kind of wish the rest of the Meta-Knights could've stayed a bit longer."</p><p>"They have their own duties to attend to, so they didn't want to stay too long."</p><p>"I understand that, but I still think that it would have been nice."</p><p>There was another moment of silence. "Sir, what do you think we should do tomorrow?"</p><p>"…you're having trouble falling asleep, aren't you?"</p><p>"Was it that obvious?"</p><p>"It was." Due to the moonlight, he could faintly see a grin on his face.</p><p>"What do you suggest I do then?"</p><p>"Hmmm… imagine that you're retelling a story."</p><p>"Does it matter what kind?"</p><p>"It could be any kind. All you have to do is close your eyes and retell it from the beginning. It doesn't matter if everything is exact or summarized, just tell it."</p><p>"Are you sure it'll work?"</p><p>"It works for me, so there's a chance that it will work for you."</p><p>"I'll try it then. Good night, sir."</p><p>"Good night, Ledo." The knight turned back away from him.</p><p>The young man closed his eyes and let the silence take him in.</p><p>
  <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ElTwRfcXgAEvi8r?format=jpg&amp;name=4096x4096">Bonus Comic: The next morning...</a>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Much longer chapter this time around. I needed to wrap up a few loose ends.</p><p>Next is the epilogue.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Epilogue – Best Friends, Tomorrow and Forever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 20: Epilogue – Best Friends, Tomorrow and Forever</strong>
</p><p>"Engines."</p><p>"All green."</p><p>"Reactor output."</p><p>"All green."</p><p>"Life support systems."</p><p>"All green."</p><p>"Excellent. We're ready for takeoff."</p><p>"Yup!" Sailor Dee hopped down from a ledge above, easily being caught by Ledo.</p><p>"Sailor Dee, be more careful. There was no guarantee I would've been able to catch you from that." The young man sighed.</p><p>"I trusted that you'd be able to catch me!" he flapped his arms in annoyance.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I do not understand the logic behind such actions." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Not everything needs to be logical!" Sailor seemed to pout.</p><p>"Yeah, but… oh, never mind…let's report to the bridge for now." He sighed in response, allowing the Waddle Dee to hop down and walk alongside him.</p><hr/><p>"Sir, we're…huh?"</p><p>Upon entering the bridge, Ledo noticed that only Captain Vul and Axe Knight were there. He assumed that the other Meta-Knights were spread throughout the ship, but he couldn't even sense Bio Gale in the shadows. Perhaps she may have followed them if they decided to do some training that day.</p><p>"Oh, good morning." The captain turned to the young man and Waddle Dee, who saluted.</p><p>"Sir, we've completed maintenance. The Halberd is ready for takeoff." Sailor Dee explained as Ledo handed over a clipboard.</p><p>"Very good…" Vul turned away for a moment before suddenly turning back, as if noticing something. "Say, kid, you trying out a new wardrobe or something?"</p><p>This new outfit the young man was wearing was a simple pocketed shirt and belted jeans combination that was a far cry from his charcoal grey pilot suit. Due to this, he wanted to question how the bird didn't notice something so obvious but opted out.</p><p>"Sailor Dee made it for me to wear when I'm off-duty and for when he wants to wash my pilot suit…" That matter was a long session of arguments and lectures between the Waddle Dee and Chamber that Ledo wished he blocked from his mind.</p><p>"Ah. I guess that makes sense. With all the technology that's in that thing, you think it's a good idea?"</p><p>"Of course! I just have to remove some of the technology stuff before I wash it! Although Chamber took forever to explain to me how to do so..." the Dee spoke up.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Negative. I believe that our conversation lasted approximately three hundred thirty-six…" </em> </span>
</p><p>"Enough, I get it." Captain Vul grumbled, cutting the AI off.</p><p>"Um…sir, where is everyone?" The young man suddenly asked.</p><p>"Some of them are off training. The Head Nurse is with them because of course she would be. As for Lord Meta Knight, I believe he went out to the Secret Sea."</p><p>"Usual patrol?"</p><p>"Bingo." Vul began to light his pipe. "You two did your work for the day. Go take it easy and prepare for takeoff."</p><p>"Understood."</p><p>Sailor Dee and Ledo saluted before exiting the bridge.</p><hr/><p>A few hours later, the young man gave an exhausted sigh.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I recommend that you take a break, ensign Ledo."</em> </span>
</p><p>"I know, Chamber…" he began to walk slowly down one of the hallways of the ship.</p><p>He had taken to undergoing intense workouts in order to keep himself in peak physical condition to both work on the ship and to participate in combat. Normally, he would relax by assisting Sailor Dee with cooking, but the Waddle Dee was still working on the laundry. To his lack of surprise, the pilot suit seemed to be giving him a difficult time.</p><p>"…now is about the time." He stopped walking. Looking around quickly, he raised his hands in front of him and caught a pink ball that was rocketing towards him. There was no doubt about who it was.</p><p>"HIIIII LEDO!" Kirby gave a big smile.</p><p>"Hello, Kirby, how are you today?" he smiled back.</p><p>"I'm great! How about you?"</p><p>"Things are fine. If I seem a bit tired, I just finished working out today."</p><p>"And you were still able to catch me!? How!?" the child pouted, shaking his arms.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Hypothesis: your actions are too predictable, as you appear to arrive on the Halberd around the same time every day."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then I'll just do it while you're working out!"</p><p>"Please don't…" the idea of Kirby smashing into him like a bullet while doing pull-ups made him shudder.</p><p>"Oh! Knuckle Joe and NESP are doing boulder chess today! Wanna go watch them?"</p><p>"What's…boulder chess?" for some reason, the young man had a very bad feeling about this. The pink puff and his friends weren't the most gentle or careful people around, so some of their games could become dangerous in a snap.</p><p>"It's chess, but you move around giant boulders! Come on! It'll be fun!" he grabbed Ledo's hand and dragged him off.</p><p>"Ch-Chamber! Inform Captain Vul about my whereabouts!" He shouted, trying to prevent himself from stumbling.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Roger. Contacting the bridge now."</em> </span>
</p><p>"This is gonna be so much fun, Ledo!"</p><p>"Just please make sure it's safe…!" he tried to keep himself from falling.</p><p>"Of course, it's safe! You'll have me with you!"</p><p>"…yeah, I guess you're right." Such a thought put his mind at ease.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Meta Knight touched down upon a cliff tucked away on an island within the Secret Sea.</p><p><em>"This seems like a good spot…"</em> he thought to himself before looking around him.</p><p>There was no one else there. Noting the absence of others, he lifted his mask, setting it on the top of his head and pulled out a fishing rod from his cape subspace.</p><p><em>"It's been a while since I had time to do this, but I should be able to pick it back up quickly…"</em> setting a worm as bait, he cast the line into the sea.</p><p>Noting the bobber's position in the water, he took a seat on a nearby rock and waited. Despite the knight's steel-like sense of patience, he was only able to pick up fishing fairly recently after Kirby showed him how to do it. It was an entertaining experience to him, as his student was desperately trying to prove that he was capable of being patient, only to become distracted by a group of butterflies. That ultimately led to him losing his fishing rod and needing to jump into the lake to retrieve it. He gave a quiet laugh upon revisiting that pleasant memory.</p><p>Suddenly, he heard a loud noise from above followed by branches cracking. In one swift movement, he lowered his mask, unsheathed his sword and readied his stance as he turned around to face the enemy. Upon seeing what it was, the blue puff lowered his sword in slight confusion.</p><p>"Chamber? What are you doing here?" he looked up at the mech.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Ensign Ledo had requested that I observe you." </em> </span>
</p><p>"I see…is he off with Kirby right now?" the knight returned his sword to its sheath.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>He had a hunch as this was around the time it would normally happen, but it was better to make sure about it. "I appreciate his concern, but I'll be fine. You can return to the Halberd." He stepped back to his rock and took the rod back into his hands, raising his mask to sit on top of his head.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Lord Meta Knight, I have determined that continuing to observe you here is the better option for the welfare of my pilot."</em> </span>
</p><p>Before the knight could reply, he thought for a moment. "…by welfare, I assume you mean that his mind will be more at ease if he knows that you're with me in case I'm ambushed?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>He could only sigh in response. "Very well. Although I'm positive I can handle myself in an ambush."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Overconfidence can lead to drastic consequences in the field of combat, Lord Meta Knight</em>." </span>
</p><p>"…I know that." That was when the bob slipped underwater.</p><hr/><p>"Boulder chess? I've never heard him talk about that game before…" Meta Knight tossed the fish he had caught back into the sea.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Even after hearing Kirby's brief description of the game, I do not understand what the logic behind it is."</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight cast the line back out. "Sometimes there is no logic to the games Kirby and his friends come up with, Chamber." He gave a sigh. There was a moment of silence before he reeled in another fish.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Lord Meta Knight, there is an incoming message from King Dedede."</em></span> The AI was met with a slight groan.</p><p>"Ugh…what does he want…" he picked up his cell phone. "What is it?"</p><p>"What? No "hello"!? Isn't that a bit rude of you?!"</p><p>The knight sharply exhaled.</p><p>"So, whatcha doin'?"</p><p>"Minding my own business. Like you should be doing."</p><p>"OI! I'M TRYIN' TO MAKE POLITE CONVERSATION HERE!" the king began to shout, only to be quieted down by a voice recognized as Bandana Dee. "Um…so…onto the actual reason that I'm callin' you. I dunno if you know, but next week it'll be a year since the princess and tin can crashed here."</p><p>The blue puff jumped a bit in realization. He had completely forgotten about that!</p><p>"Yes, what about it?" he questioned, pretending that the matter hadn't slipped his mind.</p><p>"Well…uh…me and Bandana were thinkin' we have some kind of party for them. I know we don't really know when princess's birthday is and that tin can will say somethin' 'bout not having one, but I…er…Bandana…was thinking we treat the day he landed here as one."</p><p>"Are you sure you're not the one who thought of it?"</p><p>"S-SHUT UP!" there was a bit more panicking from Bandana in the background. Dedede cleared his throat before speaking again. "Sooooo…you ok with the idea?"</p><p>"Yes, I think it would be a nice surprise for Ledo."</p><p>"Great! We're gonna have it next week! You better not overwork him before then or I'll make you regret it, ya hear!?"</p><p>"Yes, yes, I know. I don't plan on it."</p><p>"You better not, dammit!"</p><p>"Alright, goodbye."</p><p>"Bye!"</p><p>He hung up with a sigh. "…almost one whole year, huh?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. Almost a year has passed since Ensign Ledo and I have landed on this planet."</em> </span>
</p><p>"It's a bit hard to believe, but I guess time flies as they say." He threw his line out again.</p><p>
  <em> "Agreed." </em>
</p><p>A faint smile crossed Meta Knight's face. "I look forward to seeing how far you and Ledo go, Chamber."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"…the feeling is mutual, Lord Meta Knight."</em> </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The main story is finally complete! I plan on doing at least four extra chapters for this story, but if your destination is the end of the main story, this is your final stop!</p><p>Writing this has been quite an experience. It started out as a simple idea I had been thinking about in late May while playing Super Robot Wars Z3.2 and grew into this sprawling story. Despite my habit of deprecating myself when it comes to things I've worked on, this is probably one of the few works I'm legitimately proud of.</p><p>I don't plan on saying too much during the extra chapters, so I'll be giving my thanks in this chapter.</p><p>GundamBailey: My beta reader, who also encouraged me to actually write and post this story. Without him, this story would have been only an idea floating around in my head. Not only that, but several of his ideas and suggestions of the story helped round out this entire story. Honestly, I think this story wouldn't be as great as I think it is without him.</p><p>Everyone who has read this story up to this point: I cannot thank all of you enough. I thought that barely anyone would notice this little crossover outside of those in my own friend group, so you can imagined how surprised I was when I saw all the reads, follows, bookmarks, and favorites. So, to all of you who read this, I give you a massive thank you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Bonus 1 – The Visitors from Afar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 21: Bonus 1 – The Visitors from Afar</strong>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Warning: we are entering a planet's gravitational field."</em> </span>
</p><p>The man groaned upon being awakened by the feminine voice of his unit's AI. Upon processing what he heard, he gasped in shock. "W-what was that, Striker?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"We will breach the planet's atmosphere shortly, Commander Kugel. Query: should I enter the atmosphere or break away?"</em> </span>
</p><p>He looked around himself and could only see the blackness of space around him.</p><p>"You said…a planet?" Looking straight in front of him, he could see a giant star-shaped planet with two rings encircling it. It was unlike anything he had seen before.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Matching data with existing celestial bodies…while there is data present that seems to deem its conditions similar to that of the third planet of the Sol system, Earth, it is not exact. This appears to be an entirely new planet."</em> </span>
</p><p>"An…entirely new planet?! And it's habitable?! No way…" the commander uttered in surprise.</p><hr/><p>As Striker descended through the cloud cover of the atmosphere, Kugel began to slowly remember what had happened before he blacked out. The Human Galactic Alliance had engaged in a massive offensive against a Hideauze colony, which resulted in a majority of the fleet getting wiped out. If they wanted to live to fight another day, they had to retreat. During this retreat, he stayed back to hold off the creatures and allow his unit to escape, much to the dismay of a particular subordinate known as Ensign Ledo. The young man had tried to argue that the commander's actions were against military regulations, but he merely replied with the fact that allowing the young man to live would mean that more Hideauze could be killed. This was especially true based on the skills Ledo had displayed in combat before. The ensign relented and agreed to meet up with the unit, despite calling out for him one last time. Satisfied with that response, Kugel and Striker tried to give one final charge to slow the enemy down, but were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. A few of the attacking Hideauze had passed them and attacked the ensign. Before the commander could assist him, he was also attacked by the Hideauze. As a last-ditch attempt to save them both, a green laser shot forth from Striker and destroyed the creatures. Everything after that was a blur, but that was likely around the time he passed out. He surmised that he arrived in this current location due to an abnormality in the wormhole used for transport, but that was something he couldn't confirm.</p><p>After breaking the final layer of cloud cover, he could see several primitive ships tailing an even smaller ship. He found this to be quite unusual.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"I have detected the presence of life."</em></span> Striker suddenly spoke.</p><p>"Can we contact them?"</p><p><em><span class="u">"Attempting to establish communication.</span>"</em> The AI pulled up a map that showed several heat signatures. They were suddenly attacked by several rounds of artillery. <span class="u"><em>"I am unable to reach them."</em></span></p><p>Kugel gritted his teeth. "Damn…Striker, suppress them, but do it with a minimum of force."</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Roger</span>."</em> The beams fired from Striker instantly incinerated the ships, halting their attacks. <em>"<span class="u">Counterattack complete."</span></em></p><p>"They're so fragile…" he couldn't help but be surprised by that.</p><p><em>"<span class="u">Correct, but there were no fatalities."</span> </em>He suddenly noticed a creature staring at Striker in amazement from the boat that was being chased. It was not like anything he had seen before. It was a blue ball-like creature with a yellow pin, faint blushes, and what seemed to be no visible mouth.</p><p>"Try making contact with them again." The man ordered as the machine approached the vessel.</p><p>This had to be investigated further.</p><p>The creature appeared to say something before covering the area where its mouth would be and collapsing.</p><hr/><p>When the ball-creature awoke, it looked around in confusion before noticing that there was something on it. It was a helmet with oxygen, which was immediately removed by Kugel.</p><p>"Do you feel any better?" The creature tilted its head in confusion. "…I believe we need an interpreter." He looked towards Striker.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am currently analyzing the language from recorded conversations."</em> </span>
</p><p>The commander began to speak again. "We came here from space and were forced to land here on this unknown planet. We are castaways and are looking for information about our current location."</p><p>Striker then spoke <span class="u"><em>"</em><em>Mi biie miri fabiimi nii iimi rimi ri nii iimi ka manii. Mi biie biinowamee nii biie rayno ri faribiihoka biinii nii eso ribiihoka."</em></span></p><p>The creature seemed startled by the mech's sudden voice and looked around, as if searching for someone. Suddenly, it pointed questioningly at the mech. The man silently nodded back.</p><p>With a faint sigh of relief, the creature spoke with the voice of a young girl. "Ri nii ebii biie ta mihobii ri Nobai' ri ri…"</p><p>A holographic screen beside Kugel translated the words. <em>"…what does she mean by the emissary of Nova's sky god?"</em> he thought to himself upon reading it.</p><p>"Niinii nii ri tano mi." The creature spoke again.</p><p>"We were only protecting ourselves." He heard his words be translated by Striker behind him.</p><p>The creature hesitated for a moment before speaking again. Kugel quickly read the translation his AI partner gave him. <em>"<span class="u">Um…Mr. Emissary, my name is Merla and…uh…I really need your help! My father's tribe is now mine and I want you to lead it!"</span></em></p><p>Upon finishing, the man gave an unamused towards the creature, who had a stance that was both confident, but also internally nervous.</p><hr/><p>Over the next three months, Kugel and Striker began to gradually learn the language and about Merla's situation. Merla was known as a "Waddle Dee" and is the heir to a tribe of not only Waddle Dees, but several other unknown creatures. This tribe was formed based around a certain prophecy her father had at a young age where he dreamed about a godlike envoy from Nova that would one day descend from the sky and bring peace and prosperity to the people. She came to believe that Striker was this sky god due to their appearance while she was being chased by her three older sisters. As for why her older sisters were after her, it was because they were angry about her being chosen as her father's successor instead of them, believing that she was too weak to lead the people. In exchange for giving them more information on this world, Merla begged him to continue acting as an emissary from the sky god so control of the tribe could become more stable and to prevent another conflict from breaking out between the sisters. But it was merely a stalemate, there was a chance that the sisters were planning something. The stalemate would inevitably continue until one of them broke.</p><p>"How much longer must we keep up this charade? You do remember our agreement, correct?"</p><p>Merla jolted, nearly dropping the pitcher of water she was pouring from. She did not expect such a question to come up during lunch. "Yes, but…uh…I already gave you some information, correct?" she tried to vaguely recall.</p><p>Kugel stared at her judgmentally as he took a drink of water. "This planet is Popstar and this location is Volcano Valley on the Popopo Islands, that's all you told me. I would like more information than that."</p><p>"I understand that, but…" The Waddle Dee slightly averted her eyes. "My…my sisters…if my sisters take command, they'll create nothing but chaos! If you want, we can gather it from other places on the archipelago…"</p><p>He glared sharply, causing her to flinch. "By "get", I hope you do not mean to steal it. Thievery is neither productive nor efficient."</p><p>"Yes, but we're also pirates, it's all we know how to do…anyway, our efficiency has improved a ton ever since you arrived! Please, just hang in there a bit longer!"</p><p>He gave a sigh at her response. "Very well. I shall act as your figurehead a bit longer." He picked off part of the lobster with a slight smile. "You are the one leading this tribe, though."</p><p>She gasped, as if that response was not something she was expecting. "If…if I am, it's because of everything you've taught me! I've learned so much by working with you! But…it's…it's much more than that, I…" she cut herself off and shook her head. "Emissary Kugel… I am happy as long as I am of use to you…" the Waddle Dee began to stumble as if in pain.</p><p>"Merla!" The man stood up and was about to run to help her but was halted by a hand-stub.</p><p>"No… no… I'm fine…this is fine…this is fine… please…"</p><p>Kugel walked over to her and knelt to put himself more at her level. "For the rest of the day, I want you to get some rest."</p><p>"But…emissary…"</p><p>"Get some rest. That's an order." He repeated, a bit firmer in his tone.</p><p>Merla hesitated for a moment before replying with a bow. "…yes, sir." She then walked out of the room.</p><hr/><p>Soon came the evening, and during that time Kugel had been sitting in the throne room, reading a story from a book that Striker had recently translated. It was a book that Merla had dug up about the islands, specifically about a series of legends about a hero named Popopo, who this archipelago was named for.</p><p><em>"I know I told her to give me information about this world, but this wasn't the information I was talking about…"</em> he seemed to groan internally.</p><p>As much as he wouldn't like to admit it, the stories were actually quite interesting. All of them were simple enough for a child to understand, yet novel enough for an adult to become engrossed into it. In the story he was currently reading, Popopo had arrived on an island to fight a dark orb with a singular eye. After a long and difficult battle, the beast was successfully vanquished, and its fragments were sealed within a crystal that had been sunk into the ocean. The story ominously ended saying that the crystal is still in that area, and the beast inside continues to wait until someone or something can set it free. The more Kugel read the descriptions of the area, the more they seemed to remind him of this current location. It was specifically a volcanic island that was part of an archipelago. But there's no way that could be anything but a coincidence, right?</p><p>"Striker, did Merla mention how long ago these stories were written?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Query: is this information necessary?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Answer the question."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The book the documents are bound in is approximately ten years old by my estimation. No exact number had been given for the stories themselves. However, Merla has mentioned that the story itself is several centuries old."</em> </span>
</p><p>"So it could just be a coincidence…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I beg your pardon, Commander?"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Do not worry about it."</p><p>Suddenly, the door to the throne room slammed open and a pink Waddle Dee wearing a golden band entered. If Kugel's memory served correctly, this was Rosemary, the oldest of Merla's sisters.</p><p>The sister deeply bowed in front of the throne. "Sir, the conversion of the people has angered the god of the sea and sent its minions after us! Please save us, o great and powerful emissary of the sky!"</p><p>Kugel thought for a moment upon hearing that. "Allow me to confirm the situation." He turned to the machine behind him. "Striker!"</p><p>As his back was turned, the Waddle Dee in bowing before him hid a malicious look in her eyes.</p><hr/><p>Shortly after, Rosemary met up with another sister, who was watching the town square from the top of a building. The yellow colored Waddle Dee jumped a bit upon hearing her sister clear her throat to get her attention.</p><p>"Are you really that afraid?"</p><p>The younger sister stared back in silence before speaking up. "Rosemary, I've been thinking… do you really think this is a good idea? If that sky god is for real…" she fidgeted with her veiled hat.</p><p>"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Loire. You don't really believe anything that our father said, do you?"</p><p>"No, but…"</p><p>"I don't believe in any god of the sky. We already have our own god, don't we?" she glared at her smugly.</p><p>Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake.</p><p>"…it's about time."</p><p>A pillar of black blobs erupted from the town square. The door behind the sisters slammed opened, revealing a soaking wet green Waddle Dee with a tan hairband.</p><p>"Delma, you're late. I've already told the so-called emissary." The elder sister grumbled.</p><p>"HOW ABOUT YOU TRY TO SWIM AND RUN ALL THE WAY HERE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THAT PIT WHILE THOSE BLACK BLOB THINGS CHASE YOU?!" the Dee shouted at her in frustration.</p><p>"They are not just "black blob things", they are minions of the god of the sea!" Rosemary raised her arms in rejoicing.</p><p>"They're kind of scary looking to me…" Loire squeaked, receiving a growl from her elder sister.</p><p><em>"Hmph…do you really think that now that you have that so-called sky god, we'd yield to you so easily, Merla? Think again!"</em> Rosemary thought, looking as noticeably smug as someone without a mouth could.</p><hr/><p>Just as a few of the blobs began to attack people, one of them was incinerated by a laser.</p><p>"Striker, what are these things?" Kugel questioned, surveying the damage. This was going to cost them big time.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Spectroscopic analysis complete. This is an unknown creature."</em> </span>
</p><p>"An unknown creature? It can't be helped…we have to take them all out!"</p><p>
  <em> "<span class="u">Roger</span>." </em>
</p><p>The intense fight continued, with the Machine Caliber clearly gaining the upper hand over the black blobs.</p><p>During this fight, Kugel's mind recalled something. "…black…one-eyed creatures…but they couldn't be…"</p><p>These creatures appeared to match the description of the monster that Popopo fought in that story he read! But why was there so many of them?! Wasn't there only one?!</p><p>"Either way…they seem to be too weak…" he continued his thoughts as he dove down into the water-like abyss in the town square.</p><p>This battle continued further until the last one was slaughtered, creating a pool of blackness within the water.</p><p>"That appears to be the last of them. Return to the surface." Kugel gave a sigh.</p><p>
  <em>"Roger."</em>
</p><p>Upon his return, a group of people, including the three older sisters had gathered in the town square. The commander opened the mech's cockpit and removed his helmet.</p><p>"Are you injured?" he questioned the three Waddle Dee sisters, who were now hiding behind each other in shock and horror. Looking at the crowd below as well, they seemed to be equally horrified. Frankly, the man had no idea how to respond to this reaction. It was at that moment that the three sisters bowed down in front of the mech, with Rosemary being the one to speak up.</p><p>"We are so sorry. We shall worship you from now on, o emissary of the sky god!" the crowd began to follow suit, bowing towards the commander.</p><p>Kugel looked down at the pit of darkness. <em>"Did these people really worship such vile creatures as gods?"</em> he thought, turning back to the crowd.</p><p><em>"Do these people have no dignity? How could this have happened?" </em>he placed his helmet back on his head and closed the hatch to the cockpit.</p><p>
  <em>"Fine then…I will be their leader!"</em>
</p><hr/><p>A month had passed since that incident. Thanks to Striker's search capabilities, the tribe was able to thrive on discovering various relics and machines from around Volcano Valley. Merla had been observing the citizen's efforts when a Beanbon handed her a phone.</p><p>"Lady Merla, it's for you."</p><p>With a nod, she took the receiver. There was no doubt about who it was.</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"We've discovered another settlement. Let's absorb it into our tribe." Kugel replied from the other end of the phone.</p><p>"Understood, sir." She hung up and turned on a microphone, preparing to relay the message to the other citizens. "Everyone! The emissary has issued another divine proclamation!" she gave a deep sigh of exhaustion before continuing on with her work.</p><p>It felt tiring, but the happy feeling she got knowing that it will ultimately help the whole tribe made it worth it in her mind.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, Kugel had been reading over some reports that Merla submitted about the annexation of several new areas to the city. However, the man had also been thinking about that encounter with the black blobs he had. Could they really have been the same creatures he read about in that Popopo story? He was broken out of his thoughts by Striker.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Review complete. Recommendation: owing to the acquisition of some individuals with some expertise, the tribe's total productivity has increased. However, the suffering of common residents has increased as well. Patients infected with communicable disease are on the rise."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Endemic diseases were an unforeseen problem." The commander responded with a sigh, as if slightly irritated by the sudden interruption.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"76% of the infected have a weak constitution."</em> </span>That made him turn his head towards the mech.</p><p>"What are you getting at?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"In the Galactic Alliance, it is a fundamental rule to dispose of personnel whose physical condition is below a specified value."</em> </span>
</p><p>"The Alliance, huh?" he turned to face the mech with an unamused chuckle. "But this is Popstar. Those people are part of this island. We're here to help them."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"In order to maintain the collective, efficiency must be the highest priority…"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Circumstances are different here. The Alliance's rules don't apply and mean nothing now. If your observational data is correct, it is impossible to return to Galactic Alliance territory. Because we are cut off from the main fleet, I am in command as the highest-ranking officer on site." He stiffened his stance and delivered a final statement firmly. "I plan on leading the people of this planet as I see fit. You will not argue with me, understood?"</p><p>Before Striker could respond, he heard a harsh cough from behind him. The man immediately turned to see that it was Merla, who nearly stumbled from how bad it was.</p><p>"Merla! Are you ok!?" he raced over and grabbed a hand stub to help her keep balance. "Can you walk? Do you need help?"</p><p>"Uh-huh…" she gave a weak nod as she shifted to her feet.</p><p>"You're done working for the day. Please rest."</p><p>"Yes…emissary Kugel…" the Waddle Dee seemed to gently smile with her eyes.</p><p>Seeing that allowed the weary man to feel… relieved, even if it was for a tiny moment.</p><hr/><p>The next day, a strange gift was delivered to the throne room by a group of Beanbons as tribute. It was a large, gold mirror with two wings on either side. According to the sender, it was discovered washed up on one of the island shores and it was deemed too beautiful to not give to the emissary. Something about putting it in the throne room felt strange, so it was immediately moved to the large dining room. Even then, something about it seemed…off.</p><p>"Say…Striker…"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "What is it, commander?" </em> </span>
</p><p>"…do you remember when I said this weird mirror looked like it would really bring this dining room together?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"…I take that back."</p><p>The mirror gave off an atmosphere of malice the more he stared at it. Not only that, but he began to get a vague feeling that his reflection was staring at him. He didn't know where the feeling came from exactly, but it was there.</p><p>
  <span class="u"><em>"Commander, you are requested to return to the throne room at once." </em>Striker broke him out of his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>"Is it Merla?" he questioned.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative. She would like to discuss plans for the expansion of our territory."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Very well. Tell her I'll be over in a bit."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Roger." </em> </span>
</p><p>Upon hearing that response, the commander took a brief look back over towards that gold mirror. For a moment, he thought that there was something else in there other than his reflection. Not only that, but the eyes in his reflection appeared to be following him. He shook his head and chalked it up to him just imagining things. He had heard people hallucinated when under a lot of stress before.</p><hr/><p>The meeting with Merla was fairly short. It had been a simple discussion of where he would like to expand to next, simply replying that he would like to take control of this island before heading to the others in the archipelago. There was also the matter of that tacky resort, but he decided to worry about that place when he got around to invading it. Adding to this, he wanted to focus on increasing productivity and funds by gathering relics from the various warzones on the island. Using that logic, Merla recommended that the next target be the desert island, a suggestion that gained the approval of both Kugel and Striker.</p><p>Upon the conclusion of the meeting, the Waddle Dee returned to her room to rest while the commander finished reading through the submitted reports. Throughout the while, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He constantly looked around the room. There was barely anywhere to hide in the throne room, so if someone was there, he would have seen them. Even if they didn't, Striker would have caught them on its radar. For a moment, he heard some faint breathing and the tinkling of glass beside him. Understanding how unfamiliar these sounds were, he instantly withdrew a laser dagger, stabbing whatever was making the sounds.</p><p>"AGHHH! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" the commander quickly shot out of the throne and pulled out a pistol, aiming it at a strange grey, black, and red bird-like creature that was clenching its now bleeding arm.</p><p>"Wow, you say you can do anything, but you can't even do stealth? Man, you're pathetic…" a black and grey Waddle Dee appeared on the opposite side of the throne.</p><p>"How 'bout you try it before you complain!"</p><p>"At least I know my limitations and don't try to hide it."</p><p>"Eat shit and die, Shadow Bandana!"</p><p>"Eat shit and live, Shadow Dedede."</p><p>While the two were distracted by their arguing, the commander had his own conversation. "Striker, why didn't you tell me there were intruders?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"There was no detectable presence until 1.2 seconds before they appeared."</em> </span>
</p><p>"How is that possible?!"</p><p>"Called mirrors and manipulating light, ya dolt!" the one addressed as Shadow Dedede replied, managing to pull out a hammer enough to wince a bit in pain.</p><p>"You just go take a break. No way you're gonna be able to fight properly now. Even though you already couldn't in the first place." The one called Shadow Bandana commented.</p><p>"PISS OFF! I CAN HANDLE THIS MYSELF!"</p><p>"For what reason did you come here?" Kugel's response sounded more like an order than a question.</p><p>"Oh, we just wanted to see what the newbie's copy was made of! Don't mind us…"</p><p>The man gritted his teeth at the darkened Dee's response. "You came here to fight for no reason…?" he uttered. "YOU ABSOLUTE FOOLS!"</p><p>The shout seemed to reverberate throughout the room, startling both mirror copies. The Waddle Dee in particular looked shell-shocked. Cracks began to appear on his arms and feet before his body completely shattered once a massive one shot down his face.</p><p>"…well, I'll be damned…" Shadow Dedede uttered, staring at the pile of glass in shock as his arm also broke into fragments.</p><p>"What are these things?" the man uttered in concern. While the Waddle Dees he has seen and the Beanbons are not that ordinary by standards he had before, they were normal compared to…whatever these were. They mentioned something about a newbie. What could that mean?</p><p>"Hmph. How amusing."</p><p>There was a tinkle of glass before the commander turned his pistol to another grey and black ball-like creature that had suddenly appeared, sitting on the upper part of his throne. This one stood out due to his slashed mask and his red sabatons. The being stared down at him in an almost mocking way, befitting the condescending and malicious tone of his voice.</p><p>"I didn't know you could shatter them with just your voice…"</p><p>"OI! HOW LONG WERE YOU SITTING THERE?!" Shadow Dedede shouted.</p><p>"About five minutes, maybe."</p><p>"And you didn't think to help?!"</p><p>"Why should I help you?"</p><p>"WHO CARES WHY?! IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA HELP, THEN PISS OFF!" the masked being slowly raised a hand, and a giant sword shot out of a mirror, forcing the other to dodge it. "THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT…?!" before he could finish his sentence, a laser shot him in the back, shattering him into a pile of mirror glass.</p><p>"You have my thanks…he was really starting to get on my nerves…" just as the darkened knight said that he summoned a wall of mirrors to reflect a laser that had been shot at him. "Trigger happy, aren't we? At least allow me to introduce myself before we fight."</p><p>He hopped down to the arm rest, giving Kugel a chance to notice the tattered cape on his back.</p><p>"My name is Dark Meta Knight, a warrior who lives in the Mirror World. Unfortunately, these two wastes of space are also from the Mirror World." He pointed to the two piles of glass on the floor. The commander continued to stare at him, ready to shoot. "Chill out. I didn't come here to fight you, unlike these dumbasses. I just came here to see what the newbie's copy was like."</p><p>"…what do you mean?" Again, it was more of an order than a question.</p><p>"You're the one who looked into the Dimension Mirror, didn't you? Doing that creates a copy of yourself for the Mirror World."</p><p>"The Dimension Mirror…what are you-?" Kugel cut himself off upon remembering the mirror in the dining room.</p><p>"Ah, it seems you were." The knight gave a faint chuckle. "You see, the moment you looked into that mirror, it created a copy of you." He twirled a bit on the armrest, as if playfully ignoring that he was being held at gunpoint.</p><p>"But not just any copy, it created a copy based on all your dark little secrets, as the Dimension Mirror only reflects the worst traits of a person." His eyes seemed to smirk mockingly as his spinning slowed down and his cape unfurled into wings.</p><p>"The hell did you just do?" the man did his best to hide his slight surprise of the sudden change.</p><p>"Oh, this is magecraft that my counterpart can do. Quite handy. I can also change my colors to match him if I wish." Upon halting his slowed spinning, his colors were a much brighter blue, purple, and yellow. "It's quite difficult to cover up the slash on my mask, but it works overall." The colors faded out.</p><p>"This can't be all that you're here for. Explain." Kugel ordered, his stance still firm.</p><p>"What are you, a conspiracy nut? I only came here to meet the original. Well, it was also to watch these two morons inevitably get shattered due to their stupidity." Dark Meta Knight shrugged with a sigh.</p><p>"Shattered?"</p><p>The dark warrior took a seat on the armrest again. "You see, when us mirror copies are "born" we're created from several glass fragments formed in the shape of the reflected person. In other words, our entire body is made out of glass, except this glass is several times sturdier than normal glass. It actually takes a lot of effort to beat one of us. When you do manage to defeat one of us, we shatter into those glass fragments we were born from." He gestured over to the piles of glass on the floor.</p><p>"Generally, that's how you defeat us. The fracturing is brief and over with. But. If you manage to do something that hurts our very soul, we'll experience a more painful kind of fracture. This particular type is long and excruciating. We call it a large fracture."</p><p>"Why are you telling me all of this?"</p><p>"You asked, didn't you?" There was a brief moment of silence. "That's what I thought. I'm the oldest of all of these mirror copies, so you're lucky to have an expert like me explain everything!"</p><p>A mirror close to the entrance began to ripple, and out walked a grey ball wearing a bandana and carrying a broom. However, it was the figure that was following the puff that startled Kugel. The figure was almost like he was staring in a mirror, if his colors were shades of grey and black.</p><p>"Took you long enough, Shadow Kirby." The knight grumbled.</p><p>"You don't really care for them anyway…" the puff seemed to sigh.</p><p>"Yes, but it's a courtesy to pick up the trash before leaving, right?"</p><p>"Whatever…"</p><p>That was when Shadow Kirby noted that the copy had locked eyes with his counterpart, who still had a pistol drawn on him.</p><p>"You…who are you?" the dark copy spoke with a stoic voice, making it a sharp contrast to the other voices, which had been infused with so much emotion and malice.</p><p>"Identify yourself!" Kugel ordered upon processing his thoughts.</p><p>He received no response.</p><p>"Oh, that's Dark Kugel. He's the newbie I was telling you about. He doesn't talk much, so don't really bother speaking to him." Dark Meta Knight explained, before shooting up with a quick flap of his wings.</p><p>"Wait, where are you going!?" Shadow Kirby yelled.</p><p>"I'm taking a look to see where we are right now!"</p><p>The man wanted to warn him about Striker, but he just shoved the thought to the back of his mind. The main concern was this so-called copy. The longer he stared at it, the more he began to notice one particular detail. There were several tiny cracks throughout its body.</p><p><em>"…probably just a result of being newly formed." </em>He thought as he continued to watch the one called Shadow Kirby clean up the glass fragments.</p><hr/><p>Upon reaching the glass pyramid roof, Dark Meta Knight could see an amazing island view. "Ah, I think I read about this place before. They call it the Popopo Islands, so I heard." He shielded his eyes from the sun to get a better look into the distance.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Query: For what reason are you up here?"</em></span> the dark warrior turned towards the mecha that was behind him.</p><p>"The hell are you?" he questioned, not really seeming to care about the answer.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I am Unit X3752 Striker. I am commander Kugel's Machine Caliber." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Never heard of it." The knight tried to ignore the machine's presence but failed. "So, you perform whatever tasks he tells you to do?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>Suddenly, his mind recalled how easily both Shadow Bandana and Shadow Dedede were shattered. "…would it be worth it if I was to join you both in an alliance?" he questioned.</p><p>
  <em>"I believe it is the reasonable course of action for both of our sides."</em>
</p><p>The dark knight only chuckled. "Then you better get used to having me around here."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I do not understand how that could be considered a problem if we are now allies."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Oh, shut the hell up!"</p><hr/><p>Not long after his encounter with the inhabitants of the Dimension Mirror, life seemed to return to normal. Well, at least as normal as it could be for someone pretending to be an emissary. More territory was claimed. Productivity continued to increase. The people were thriving. Kugel would occasionally return to talk with the mirror world denizens, but usually Dark Meta Knight would enter the throne room through a mirror that had been left there to talk to him. Frankly, the commander didn't really understand why the dark knight came to visit him so often, but it felt a bit more productive talking to him than the occasional argument with Striker. Hell, it was actually quite comforting having someone else to talk to instead of the AI. However, this would all soon be shaken by a particular event. One day, Kugel had again been reading through the stories about Popopo that Merla gave him.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Commander, while the productivity of the tribe has increased further, the number of people infected by communicable diseases is also rising. I recommend taking action against it."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's enough. I already told you about this, Striker. Do not make me repeat myself." He sharply replied.</p><p>"Geez, you two really are something…" the man turned his attention to the mirror warrior, who had been hanging upside down from his usual upper-right corner of the throne spot.</p><p>"What?" the commander responded.</p><p>"Who the hell makes the decision to pair up AI and their pilots in wherever you both are from?"</p><p>"There is no real "decision" to it. They're an artificial intelligence that is designed to assist the pilot in combat and provide support."</p><p>Dark Meta Knight stared skeptically at Kugel, who had gone back to reading. "Are you sure about that? You two just remind me of a married couple that's still together only for the sake of their kids…"</p><p>The moment he finished that sentence, the commander gazed at him in such a shock that he dropped the book he had been reading.</p><p>"…what are you saying?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I do not understand what that means. I would like further elaboration on this subject…" </em> </span>
</p><p>"Do not worry about it, Striker."</p><p>The knight gave an annoyed sigh as he turned himself back up again. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure a bag of bolts like you wouldn't understand a thing about it anyway."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Please explain."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Ugh…I know that…you're just gonna pester me until I do, aren't you?" he stood up and unfurled his wings. "I'll be back in a bit…" he jumped into the air and glided to the top.</p><p>Just as Kugel was about to pick up the book, his attention was directed to a harsh sounding cough coming from the stairs to the room.</p><p>"Dammit…Merla!" he ran over to see the Waddle Dee leaning weakly against a step, coughing even more hoarsely than before. "Are you alright!?" the commander questioned, taking one of her hand-stubs, staring in shock as he saw the blood that had been coughed up.</p><p>She began to seem faint.</p><p>"Just…hang in there!" he grabbed her and carried her out of the throne room.</p><hr/><p>When Merla awoke, she noticed that she was in bed and hooked up to several neon-colored wires. It took a moment for her to recognize that this was from his pilot suit. She turned her head to see Kugel sitting next to her.</p><p>"You're awake…good." He heaved a sigh of relief before continuing. "All you need to do right now is rest."</p><p>She blinked in silence before speaking again. "…emissary Kugel, could I ask a favor of you?"</p><p>"Anything." The man immediately responded.</p><p>Merla gave a smile that was obvious through her eyes. "Will you…help me to die?"</p><p>The commander gasped in shock hearing that.</p><p>"I'm too sick to be able to get up from this bed again."</p><p>"Don't be ridiculous…!" he shook his head in response, still startled by her words.</p><p>"Thanks to you, our tribe was able to prosper again…and I…I'm a priestess. That's my role to play and my duty to the people."</p><p>"Then leave all of that to me for now. All you need to do is rest."</p><p>"But you're the emissary of the sky god. A presence that should be feared and worshiped from afar. My role is to announce your proclamations and see to it that they are carried out." As Merla continued to speak, tears began to form in her eyes, streaming silently down her face. "But now I can't carry out that duty in my current condition…"</p><p>"So you can't be the priestess anymore? But why does that mean you have to die?"</p><p>"It's for the greater good of everyone else and the happiness of the tribe."</p><p>Kugel seemed to have a vague realization but continued anyway. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"I have dedicated my life to both this tribe and you, Emissary Kugel. The only thing I can do now that I am too ill to perform my duties is to pass from this world. Otherwise, chaos and discord will brew about the tribe…the quicker the better…so this tribe can continue to prosper…even while I am gone."</p><p>"What do you mean? You deserve to be happy, too!" he attempted to reason with her, only to get a nod in response.</p><p>"But…emissary Kugel, don't you see? I am happy!" she held out one of her hand-stubs, which was slowly grabbed by the man. "I'm happy because I met you! And…I was able to find a purpose because of you!"</p><p>The commander nodded. "I am greatly indebted to you, Merla. I would not be alive today if it wasn't for you."</p><p>The Waddle Dee gave a faint squeal "I'm…honored…!" she looked towards the outside.</p><p>"Emissary…?"</p><p>"What is it?" he leaned closer.</p><p>"Can you help me? I'd like to look at the city one last time…" she stared at the horizon beyond.</p><hr/><p>Obliging Merla's wish, Kugel carried the Waddle Dee out onto an overlooking view from her room.</p><p>"We're here."</p><p>The Dee had briefly fallen asleep on the trip there and awoke to see the coastal city, standing proud on the shore of the island.</p><p>"Can you see it?" the commander asked as she slowly turned her head.</p><p>"Yes…" she whispered. "It's so…beautiful…" Merla's eyes slowly closed and her body became limp.</p><p>"Merla…!" Kugel uttered, surprised at the sudden lack of life.</p><p>Desperate, he knelt down and placed an oxygen mask over where her mouth would be.</p><p>"S-Striker is…is her heart still beating?" he was too much in shock to notice his hands were slightly shaking.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"She has no pulse."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Defibrillate her!"</p><p>A pulse of electricity was sent through the Waddle Dee's body, creating only a faint twitch that timed with the shocks.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"No response."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Then do it again."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Chance of revival unlikely."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Damn! Why…!?" he grumbled under his breath before slowly pulling away the oxygen mask. For a moment, only the wind was present as Kugel tried to process his thoughts. "I've led all these people…been worshiped as an emissary from the sky god…but I can't even save one girl…?!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Even on this planet, your duties as a commander require you to continue…"</em> </span>
</p><p>"ENOUGH!" he shouted, shaking his head. "You don't understand…!"</p><p>Striker was an AI. Of course, it wouldn't understand.</p><p>"I'm a priestess. That's my role to play and my duty to the people." Merla's voice emanated from Striker's communication device, startling the man.</p><p>"Striker!" a holographic image of the Waddle Dee manifested from a projector from within the device.</p><p>"The only thing I can do now that I am too ill to perform my duties is to pass from this world. Otherwise, chaos and discord will brew about the tribe…the quicker the better…so this tribe can continue to prosper…even while I am gone…" Kugel stared in shock at the hologram.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Merla's words on the happiness and betterment of life on this planet are quite similar to the guidelines established by the Galactic Alliance. Conclusion: what is best for all lifeforms regardless of being in space or terrestrial remains the same."</em> </span>
</p><p>The hologram of Merla started up again. "I have dedicated my life to both this tribe and you, Emissary Kugel. I am happy!"</p><p>"Stop it!" the hologram suddenly disappeared, leaving the man to think alone.</p><p>From behind a wall, the eldest sister Rosemary gazed at the entire scene in wordless amazement before giving a condescending glare.</p><hr/><p>"You sure you're fine with standing? You know you can just take a seat, right?" Dark Meta Knight stared down at Kugel from the top right corner of the throne where Striker now sat.</p><p>"…" the commander continued to gaze silently at Merla's lifeless body situated now in a casket.</p><p>"Ah, my bad…" he averted his gaze and scratched part of his mask, as if slightly embarrassed by that comment. He twirled the shiny and glass-like rose he held in his hand, many of which had been placed in the casket. The dark warrior had brought them over from the Mirror World as a sort of parting gift.</p><p>"Emissary Kugel…"</p><p>He glared in the direction of the voice to see that it was Rosemary.</p><p>"What do you want?" he remarked sternly.</p><p>The Waddle Dee walked towards him, hands in front of her. "My little sister is dead…she died the most honorable death for a priestess…"</p><p>"What do you really want?" he turned towards her.</p><p>"She selflessly laid her life down for you and everyone in this fleet…I wish to follow her in her footsteps…" the Dee knelt down in front of him. "It'd be a great honor to give my life…for the sake of you and everyone in this fleet, it would be a great honor to serve you."</p><p>The commander continued to stare skeptically.</p><p>"…all right." He began to walk over towards Rosemary, also drawing the attention of Dark Meta Knight. "The fleet certainly does need a new priestess." He knelt down and reached out a hand. "I leave it to you."</p><p>"Thank you, Emissary Kugel…" just as he was pulling the Dee up to stand, he stabbed her with a laser dagger.</p><p>"You can die as a priestess." The commander replied coldly.</p><p>Upon withdrawing the weapon, the Waddle Dee stumbled back a bit before fainting.</p><p>"…I have disposed of an agitator. Tolerating weakness and dissent will not help these people. Drastic measures must be taken…" The man said.</p><p>In the background, Dark Meta Knight could only stare at him, flower fully clenched in hand and his eyes completely white.</p><hr/><p>Outside, a large crowd of people began to gather in the center square.</p><p>"I am the emissary of god!" Everyone's attention turned to the massive building as Kugel's voice was heard. "I, and I alone shall bring peace and prosperity to this tribe and its city!"</p><p>As if on cue, Striker activated a hologram projection, showing Merla.</p><p>"Ah! It's the priestess!" a person shouted from within the crowd.</p><p>"For the happiness of everyone in this tribe, I must act. It is my duty, as the priestess, to fulfil my role and do what is best." The projection said as the Waddle Dee sisters Loire and Delma arrived on the scene. "My last act is to pass from this world, the quicker the better." If the Dees had visible mouths, their jaws would have been hitting the ground. "The tribe and city will prosper because of my sacrifice. I'm honored to finally have a purpose and very happy…"</p><p>Upon Kugel's collection of the final mirror glass rose from the casket, it was sent careening down the building and into the watery pit that was in the middle of the square.</p><p>Before the crowd could react further than several name shouts, another hologram, this time of Rosemary appeared.</p><p>"My little sister is dead. Her death was an honorable one as a priestess's should be. I wish to follow in her footsteps."</p><p>"Wait, is she really!?" Delma uttered.</p><p>"NO WAY!" Loire shouted.</p><p>"It would be an honor to give my life both for the sake of this tribe and for its people." The hologram turned off, and her casket was also thrown into the murky depths.</p><p>There was a jarring silence to let what happened sink in before Kugel began to speak again.</p><p>"It is the duty of all citizens to serve me! It is a great honor to be useful! The weak will become strong, and the strong will become even stronger!" a hologram of the commander himself then appeared in front of Striker. "These priestesses gave their lives and souls for this tribe and city. Their sacrifices will not be in vain, I promise you! We will have peace and prosperity!"</p><p>Loire fell to the ground in shock.</p><p>"Even the weak shall too be happy, as they will sacrifice themselves."</p><p>Suddenly, Delma spoke up. "Emissary, please pass on your teachings to me!"</p><p>"Y-yes, allow us to take the place of our older and youngest sister!" Loire continued.</p><p>"Very well. I expect you to work hard to serve me." With that, the holographic image vanished, leaving an astonished crowd to process what happened.</p><hr/><p>"You think this is a good idea, Kugel?" Dark Meta Knight questioned, popping a green lime candy under his mask.</p><p>"There is no other option. We must cut out the weakness and dissent if we wish to prosper." The man replied, examining one of the mirror-glass roses.</p><p>"That so?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative."</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight only replied with a shrug.</p><p>"If you disagree, you can just return to the Mirror World." The commander seemed to glare at him.</p><p>"Ultimately, it's up to you. I'm just throwing in my two cents. I'll come and go as I like." He ate another candy. "Be a real shame to ruin our good alliance now, don't you think?"</p><p>"Uh-huh…" the response seemed more absentminded than anything.</p><p>That was when Dark Meta Knight began to feel a familiar presence. <em>"Dark Mind…?"</em> he thought. <em>"No…Dark Mind has been long dead, but…this feels so familiar…"</em> It was the feeling of negative emotions, and it was suspiciously close by. He slowly gazed towards the man. <em>"Of course…"</em> he kept his thoughts to himself.</p><p>"You're awfully quiet right now, Dark Meta Knight." Kugel turned his head towards him.</p><p>"Ah, it's nothing. I was probably going to check in on the Mirror World." He transitioned his wings into a cape and flew towards the mirror.</p><p>"You mean Shadow Kirby?" the man replied, forcing the knight to freeze in his tracks.</p><p>"…maybe."</p><p>"Give him my greetings."</p><p>"Sure…if you happen to see your own "Shadow Kirby", tell him my own greetings as well…" He jumped in without another word.</p><p>The moment that Dark Meta Knight left, Kugel began to ruminate on those words. What could they possibly mean? He barely remembers mentioning his own "Shadow Kirby" to him. Suddenly, he began to harshly cough. To his utter shock, he saw that he had started to cough up blood, just like he had seen with Merla.</p><p>"That's right…I will lead all the species on this planet…to peace and prosperity!" he said to himself, raising his throne through the room and onto the roof.</p><p>"That is my mission as commander…no, that is my mission as god!" The throne stopped just in front of the Machine Caliber.</p><p>"Isn't that right, Striker?"</p><hr/><p>"Hey! Bolts-for-brains! Did you hear what I said?!" Dark Meta Knight shouted at the Machine Caliber.</p><p>It had been a few months since Kugel’s proclamation and he barely had the chance to speak to him since. The commander had usually been so busy with running the city that he didn’t even notice that he was there. In fact, Dark Meta Knight became so angry that he returned to the Mirror World and didn’t return for a week the moment that the man began to shut himself up inside Striker. </p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Query: What are you talking about, Dark Meta Knight?" </em> </span>
</p><p>"You know what I'm talking about! What's that birdbrain doing? I've been waiting for you to answer for days!" he yelled. Tired of waiting, the mirror warrior returned and had been practically camping inside Striker's pyramid dome for an entire week.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"He has isolated himself to his cockpit due to illness."</em> </span>
</p><p>"…illness?" this was the first time the knight had heard of that!</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"It is an endemic disease that I am further analyzing."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Well, if you're so smart, can't you just cure him?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I cannot."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Wow, what a hunk of junk you are!" he sneered, only to briefly feel stupid because he did it in front of a machine that couldn't care less about it. "So, can I speak to him?" He tapped a foot impatiently.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Negative. The commander needs his rest and to focus on maintaining order." </em> </span>
</p><p>The knight gave an angry huff. "Fine, he can have it his way then!" he flew back down into the throne room.</p><p>He was about to enter back into the mirror when he was stopped by a priestess.</p><p>"Excuse me, are you a Mister… Dark Meta Knight?" she read an envelope.</p><p>"What's it to you?" he growled.</p><p>"Oh…uh…the emissary gave us orders to give this to you before you returned." The envelope had his name clearly written on it.</p><p>"Yeah, sure, whatever."</p><p>Unamused, the mirror warrior grabbed it and stepped back through the mirror.</p><p>"What the hell is up his ass to make him act like that?" he grumbled as he stared at the paper.</p><p>Well, now wasn't the time to think about that.</p><hr/><p>Dark Meta Knight returned to the castle the copies were using as a home to find it being strangely quiet. Usually, it was quite chaotic thanks to Shadow Dedede and Shadow Bandana mixing as well as oil and water, but things were strangely different this time around.</p><p>"HEY! I'M BACK!" he gave a shout, only to receive no response.</p><p>Slightly irritated, he walked up the stairs and into one of the hallways.</p><p>"I SAID I'M BACK!" he yelled again. Still no response.</p><p>As much as he would have hated it, he would have even taken one of Shadow Kirby's tackle-hugs right now, because at least it would have been some form of acknowledgement. He shook his head and walked down the hallway towards his room. That was when he began to hear a panicked voice coming from one of the rooms.</p><p><em>"…I believe that would be Dark Kugel's room…"</em> he thought as he went to go investigate.</p><p>"THE HELL'S GOING ON IN HERE?!" the knight slammed the door open, startling Shadow Bandana and Shadow Dedede, but strangely not provoking a reaction from Shadow Kirby on the floor with a pile of glass shards in front of him. "All of you! What the hell is so important that you don't notice that I'm home!?" the knight snapped at them.</p><p>"Probably because it was a lot better when you were gone." Shadow Bandana grumbled before needing to dodge a sword from the ground. "HEY! WATCH IT ASSHOLE!"</p><p>"THAT WAS A WARNING, NEXT TIME I WON'T MISS!"</p><p>"Say that when I have my fist embedded in your face!" Shadow Dedede yelled.</p><p>"Please…just…stop fighting!" a teary voice shouted. The entire group turned to Shadow Kirby in surprise. The puff was in tears as he was desperately trying to put the pieces of glass back together, only for them to instantly fall apart.</p><p>Upon noticing this, Dark Meta Knight cleared his throat and leaned against a desk, as if trying to hide his lack of care. "…so what's this about?" he questioned.</p><p>"I don't know how or why it happened but…" the grey puff started to sob. "A few days ago… Dark Kugel shattered and…" he flinched upon accidently cutting himself with the glass.</p><p>"Well, he can be put back together good as new, can't he?" Dark Meta Knight attempted to subtly cheer him up.</p><p>"He can't."</p><p>His eyes turned white upon hearing Shadow Kirby's response.</p><p>"I'm trying my hardest but… no matter how much I try, I can't put him back together!"</p><p>The knight froze upon hearing that. If someone from the Mirror World was shattered, they can be resurrected as many times as they want as long as someone can put their fragments back together. If their fragments can't be put back together, then…it's the same as death. It was no wonder why Shadow Dedede and Shadow Bandana seemed so off in their insults today. It was almost like they were desperately trying to go through the usual motions to feel like their usual selves.</p><p>"Oh, don't worry, he's probably still just stunned from a large fracture! Just give him a few days!" the knight waved off the glass's condition.</p><p>"Are you sure?" Shadow Kirby gave that puppy-dog eyed look that the warrior always dreaded.</p><p>"Um, yeah! Of course! Well, I gotta go now, see you later!" he immediately rushed out of the room and into his own, locking it behind him.</p><p>"YO! WHERE YOU GOING!?" he heard Shadow Dedede yell.</p><p>"WE'RE NOT DONE WITH YOU! HEY!" Shadow Dee followed up.</p><p>"Oh yeah! Well, screw you, too!" the shadow monarch huffed, turning back his attention to the tearful Shadow Kirby.</p><hr/><p>Knowing that he was secure in his room, he carefully took out the envelope the priestess had given him.</p><p>"To Dark Meta Knight" it read.</p><p>He immediately opened it with his sword and pulled out two sheets of paper and began to read it.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "To Dark Meta Knight. I hope that this letter finds you well. By the time you read this, I will have already passed from this world." </span>
</p><p>"…what?!" he continued in surprise.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I know the past few months our relationship has mostly deteriorated, but I hope that you understand that it was for the sake of this city." </span>
</p><p>The knight scoffed at that statement.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I wasn't sure when I'd properly be able to talk to you again, hence why I am putting all my thoughts into this letter. At this point, we have known each other for several months. You have known me for about the same time I had known Merla before she passed. Quite a strange, yet twisted fate, I believe. Despite how I may have acted, I enjoyed our talks. It made the throne room a little less lonely and made me feel a lot more at ease, especially after arguing with Striker so much. I am eternally grateful for the happiness that you have brought me and hope you can share that with others. From, Kugel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> P.S. As for my own "Shadow Kirby", please be sure to treat him well in the miraculous chance you happen to meet him on Popstar." </span>
</p><p>Upon finishing that letter, Dark Meta Knight began to feel a sensation unusual to him. He didn't exactly know how to describe it. It was like something was missing inside of him and there was no way that he was going to get it back. He laid on his bed and raised his mask as he tried to process what he had read. There was another strange sensation.</p><p>"Why am I…?" he put a hand under his eyes and noticed that it had become wet.</p><p>"What is this…?" he read the letter again, and the unknown feeling only grew stronger.</p><p>"Why do I feel so…empty…?" he stared at the opposite wall in silence.</p><p>So…that's what happened. That was why Dark Kugel shattered and couldn't be put back together. It was something that had only been a theory, but now…</p><p>"…when our original dies…we'll die, too…" the realization hit him like a truck.</p><p>All that time he has gone out of his way to fight his original, he would've died as well if he killed him?! Now what!? Was he just going to drop dead the day that blueberry croaked?! What's the point of it all?! What was the point of anything if his entire life was tied to that damn original?! Could he really be as superior to the original as he constantly said that he was!? What should he do now!? What can he do now?!</p><p>"…damn it all…!"</p><p>He really wished he was able to sleep right now, if only just so he could to forget about everything.</p><hr/><p>"Still sitting in front of the mirror portal after only a few months? Wow, you're pathetic…" Shadow Bandana said.</p><p>Dark Meta Knight gave no response. He only traced crude drawings on the floor of the castle.</p><p>"…I really thought that would do the trick." The shadowy Dee shrugged before walking off.</p><p>"Hey, Dark? Are you okay?" Shadow Kirby sat next to him, only to be ignored.</p><p>"Dark?" No response.</p><p>"Daaark!" he shook him to no reaction.</p><p>"DARRRRRKKKKK!" Even when he yelled and shook him even harder, there was nothing.</p><p>"Yeah, I already tried clobbering over the head. Ain't no way you gonna get a thing out of him." Shadow Dedede commented.</p><p>"I thought I'd at least try! I'm starting to worry about him! It's just so weird to see him act like this!" the grey puff responded.</p><p>"Yeah, but there ain't nothing we can do right now. Just gotta hope he comes outta this funk on his own." The shadowy monarch replied before heading out with the shadowy Dee.</p><p>Shadow Kirby followed them out, but gave one last look back towards Dark Meta Knight, hoping that he would say something, to no avail. A few minutes passed and suddenly, the knight's attention was drawn by several glass fragments creating a humanoid form in front of the mirror.</p><p>"A new copy is forming…" he grumbled under his breath.</p><p>The humanoid cluster of glass fragments was mimicking the movements on the outside of the mirror as the rough shards began to melt into a smoother, more life-like form. Suddenly, it stopped mimicking movements and began to move slowly on its own, as if trying to get used to the very idea of being able to move. Dark Meta knight cut off his attention and returned to his crude drawing. He wasn't that good of an artist, but he enjoyed randomly doodling whatever came to mind. There was a brief crash as the new copy attempted to get used to walking, seeming stunned that it had already lost its footing. The knight tried to suppress a laugh, as if trying desperately trying to not let go of his depressed state. After a brief moment, the newborn copy made it to its feet and began to walk towards the warrior. The figure finally stopped at his location and crouched to his level. The shadowy warrior did not look up.</p><p>"Excuse me…" a stoic voice spoke.</p><p>Dark Meta Knight only moved his eyes for a moment but was surprised enough to move his whole body to look at this new stranger. This new Mirror World copy strangely resembled a much younger version of Dark Kugel but had enough details about himself to make him clearly a different person. Specifically, the person that he had gotten a brief glimpse of from the other side of the mirror.</p><p>"Are you…" the young man began to speak again. "Are you my superior officer?"</p><p>There was an earnest look in his eyes.</p><p>It was an image that the mirror warrior would never forget.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A chapter primarily influenced by the second special episode for the Gargantia anime.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Bonus 2 – The Sky and Your Message</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 22: Bonus 2 – The Sky and Your Message</strong>
</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, you sometimes address yourself as Kirby's rival, even though you're also his mentor. Is there a reason for that?"</p><p>Meta Knight gave an awkward cough upon hearing that sudden question from Ledo. "It's…a bit complicated…"</p><p>"Y'know, you always say that but then when you actually explain whatever it is, it becomes stupidly simple…" Dedede grumbled, munching on an apple.</p><p>The monarch had come to the ship to briefly discuss some matters in the kingdom with the knight on the bridge. Bandana was running an errand for him and wasn't able to come. He invited the young man to join them when he arrived to report the completion of his daily maintenance work.</p><p>"It's actually quite complex this time…" the knight calmly retorted.</p><p>"Oh, so you admit most of the stuff you try to hide is BS?" the king gave a smirk.</p><p>"No, it's because I rather not give out too much about myself." The knight gave a glare.</p><p>"Chamber, what do you think?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe you already know the answer to why, ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>"I do?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Replaying audio." </em> </span>
</p><p>Meta Knight seemed to jump upon hearing that, and the reason was made obvious once the audio began to play.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "H-how is my own student stronger than me!?" </span>
</p><p>The slurred speech and hiccup was enough to make Ledo recall that memory. About one month ago, the knight had a particularly intense duel with Kirby and apparently lost. Usually, Meta Knight would have shrugged it off and just gone to train more, but something about that battle caused him to instead return to the battleship and down a dame blanche. At least that was what Sailor Dee had told him. He didn't see his condition himself until the early evening when he was drinking some ice water at the table while he waited for the Waddle Dee to finish his shift. The knight had been at the table as well but appeared to be in a bit of a daze. The reason why hit him the moment he downed another cup of sake, noting that the entire bottle was half full at that point. This recorded conversation was from shortly after the young man asked if he was ok. The response he got was laden with slurring, the occasional sob, and several hiccups. All of which required the young man to take a moment to decipher before understanding exactly what had been said. It played out exactly as Chamber recorded.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "*hic* h-how is my own student stronger than me!? I-I'M supposed…to be his…teacher and…*sob*" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "Lord Meta Knight, are you talking about Kirby?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "H-he's growing up too fast…and-and…I'm weak…I'm just that weak, aren't I?!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I don't think you're weak…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I'M WEAK! *sob*" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "Sir, I think you have to calm down and take a drink of water…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I…I-I'll have no… *hic*" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "Just take the water!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "There's…nothing more I can…I can teach him…I'll soon have nothing to teach him… *sob*" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "Sir, I'm going to have to cut you off." </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "PISS OFF! AND WHO THE HELL SAID YOU CAN PAT MY HEAD?!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "You should just stop…" </span>
</p><p>The audio cut off there.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"This is all the relevant data I have."</em> </span>Chamber responded. Meta Knight was already in a corner, faintly screaming in embarrassment. Dedede furrowed his brow.</p><p>"Geez. Must've been pretty plastered if he coughed up something like that."</p><p>"Absolutely. I had to restrain him to force him to stop drinking." He was still a bit sore from it. "I'm honestly surprised you didn't make a joke about it. Usually you're the first to do that."</p><p>"No way, man. That's a legitimate cry for help. That's where I draw the line." He bit into the apple again.</p><p>"Well, what do you think can be done to help?" The young man asked.</p><p>"I dunno! What do I look like, one of them psychiatrist guys?"</p><p>"You don't need to be a psychiatrist to help."</p><p>"Man... uh…." Dedede scratched his head. "...how 'bout he just tells someone? You know, when he's not totally wasted? Bandana can talk to you about all the times I vented to him whenever I lost to that pink lump. Though I dunno if that'll work for MK. Geez...I dunno what then..."</p><p>"Maybe he could just tell Kirby?" Ledo's suggestion was met with a burst of hysterical laughter from the king.</p><p>"Good joke."</p><p>"I'm serious."</p><p>"...what?" the king immediately turned to him in surprise.</p><p>"I'm serious. I think it would be better for everyone if he just tells Kirby."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I believe such judgement is beyond the limitations of your post, ensign." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Maybe, but I don't think he'd like the other option…"</p><p>"That's not the point! You're expecting Meta Knight, of all people, to straight up say something that's on his mind that easily!? The guy who will clam up about all the problems he's been hidin' until we twist his arm enough!?"</p><p>"We have no other options, so yes."</p><p>"Do you have any idea what you're sayin'!?"</p><p>"Tomorrow…" that caught their attention. The knight in question slowly stood up, gradually regaining his composure. "I'll…do it tomorrow…"</p><p>The king seemed taken aback by this development. "Wha?! What's with the sudden change of heart!?"</p><p>Meta Knight wrapped his cape back around himself and shifted a bit. "Ledo…has a very good point. While I do prefer to keep a lot of things to myself, if I wish to prevent such an… embarrassing incident from repeating itself, I should tell Kirby." He seemed to shudder, the audio playback still firmly in his mind.</p><p>"I guess that means this meeting's over then…" Dedede scratched the back of his head. "Well…uh…good luck, then…"</p><p>The blue puff gave a nod as the king left the bridge.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, are you really going to do it?"</p><p>"Yes, but…I don't think I will in person…"</p><p>The young man tilted his head at that reply. "Don't you think it would be better to do it in person?"</p><p>"Think about what you heard. Do you really think I'd be able to convey those thoughts in person?"</p><p>The ensign thought for a moment. "…fair enough."</p><p>"You'll be the one writing it."</p><p>"What?! But isn't this your…" he stopped himself and cleared his throat. "I don't mean to be rude, but I feel it would be more fitting if you would write it."</p><p>"Ensign, come here for a moment." Hesitantly, the young man walked over and knelt to his level. "Hold out your hand." Upon doing so, the knight placed one of his in it. He could feel a faint quiver emitting from it. "Do you understand now?"</p><p>"You're anxious, sir?"</p><p>"Extremely." He returned it to his cape and began to walk towards the door. "Come to my room after you have completed your maintenance duties tomorrow, ensign."</p><p>"Yes, sir."</p><p>With an acknowledging nod, he left the room.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, Sailor Dee requests that you come to the main hanger."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Tell him I'll be there soon."</p><hr/><p>The next day, Ledo finished his assigned work and headed to his superior's room. Honestly, he was curious about how they were going to go about this letter writing business. He didn't remember Meta Knight having any type of computer in his room, so it would likely be written by hand. While Ledo's own handwriting wasn't unreadable, it wasn't the most formal thing in the world. Who was he kidding! This is a letter to Kirby, the last person who would care about handwriting! As long as it was readable and got his superior's thoughts across, it would be fine, right? Thinking further about it, would Kirby care if he wrote it instead of his own teacher? Surely, if the situation was explained he would understand, since the puff seemed to know his mentor better than anyone else in Dreamland. Even then, would he feel a bit hurt by the fact that Meta Knight never told him about this or the fact that he had such a hard time telling him he had to have someone else write a letter to explain it? Or the fact that the thought of telling him in person was paralyzing enough to ask someone to write a letter? Was he thinking too much about this?</p><p>Upon reaching the door with familiar insignia, he gave three knocks.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, it's Ensign Ledo, may I come in?" the young man asked.</p><p>He could hear some paper shuffling before he got a response.</p><p>"You may."</p><p>He tapped a button on the wall beside the door, sliding it open and walked inside.</p><hr/><p>The knight was already at his desk and instantly turned to face Ledo the moment he entered.</p><p>"I appreciate your help with this." he commented.</p><p>"I know. I'm happy to help." The young man sat on the floor, not wanting to make him more nervous by towering over him. "Oh…uh…Captain Vul said to give this to you." He handed him a plastic bag.</p><p>The knight took it and looked inside, slightly turning his head as his eyes began to turn magenta. "…he's quite sharp…"</p><p>"What is it, sir?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Hypothesis: it is lemon drops." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Correct…I ran out last night…" he clearly sounded embarrassed.</p><p>The young man wanted to ask if this was simply because he ran out or it was because he ate all of them out of nervousness last night but was against it.</p><p>"Anyway, that's not what we're here for…" he opened the bag and poured the yellow candies into a metal dish on his desk. He then pulled out the small (and noticeably empty) jar from his cape subspace and poured the rest of the bag into it.</p><p>"How are we going to write the letter, sir? Will it be by hand or will it be typed?" the ensign questioned as the knight hopped down from his chair.</p><p>"We're going to type it."</p><p>"But you don't have a computer in your room…"</p><p>He could've sworn he heard the puff suppress a laugh.</p><p>"No, but I have something else we can use."</p><p>He walked over to a chest he kept by his filing cabinet out of sight and opened it, taking out a black…thing with letter keys. It was similar to the machine that Bandana had shown the young man during one of his trips to Castle Dedede. The name of it had escaped him.</p><p>"Ah, it's one of those typing machines!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "The term is typewriter, Ensign Ledo." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Yes, that!"</p><p>"Correct. This is what we'll be using to write the letter." The knight began loading a piece of paper into the machine.</p><p>"Ah…but Lord Meta Knight, I didn't know you had a typewriter."</p><p>"It was a gift...from an old friend." He sounded strangely nostalgic when he said that.</p><p>"Is it one of Kirby's friends?"</p><p>"No, this is someone that Kirby never met."</p><p>As curious as this made Ledo, he opted not to pry into it. While the knight was already secretive about his life here on Popstar, his life prior to coming to the planet was something he kept even more closely guarded. The most that he ever mentioned about it was that, like Kirby, he was not born on Popstar. The young man had discussed a few theories with Chamber, but it was all just his own speculation.</p><p>The typewriter was heavy when the knight handed it off to him, and he could already see that he had typed up the introduction.</p><p><span class="u">"To my student, Kirby,"</span> it read.</p><p>"What do you need me to do now?" Ledo asked, sitting down on the floor.</p><p>"You type what I tell you to. I'll try to keep my thoughts as straightforward as possible, but I don't think it'll be that easy…" he seemed to advert his eyes.</p><p>"You just need to tell him how you feel, don't you?" the young man asked.</p><p>"That's a bit..."</p><p><em><span class="u">"Lord Meta Knight, this is the reasonable course of action."</span> </em>Chamber spoke.</p><p>"Are you telling me what to do?" something about the way he said that sent a chill down the ensign's spine.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I am merely stating what I believe would be the most logical decision in this situation. Ultimately, as it is with Ensign Ledo, what you do is your own decision." </em> </span>
</p><p>He gave a nod. "...I see." He turned away from the young man. "Let us begin." He took two lemon drops from the metal tray and slipped them under his mask.</p><hr/><p>After several hours of work, it was finally complete.</p><p>"Sir, what do you think of this?"</p><p>Ledo handed the completed pages to Meta Knight, who began to read through it.</p><p><span class="u">"To my student, Kirby,</span>" it began.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I'd like to start off saying that the reason why I'm writing this letter to you has nothing to do with you being in trouble or anything of that nature. I needed to get something I've been thinking about off of my mind that is highly related to you. You may be questioning if there is something wrong with me right now, as I am not one to talk about my thoughts or emotions, but I feel I should be transparent about this particular subject if we are to continue to have this relationship. I believe you already know well that I am your mentor, but I have also considered you a rival as well. This may have stemmed from my own feelings of vanity and how I desire to constantly become stronger. The more I think about all the times I've lost to you and I've been brainwashed, the more I start to become frustrated with myself and feel that I am weak. In contrast, you have been growing constantly stronger. In addition to this, it has come to my realization that you are, in a sense, growing up too fast for me to keep up. There will come a point in time where there will be nothing more I can teach you. When that time comes, I know in my heart that I can no longer be your mentor and I honestly don't know how to feel about it. It might just simply be a combination of frustration and dread about the future. I'm not entirely sure. Whatever you decide to do after you finish this letter is up to you. I will not be angry with you, so do not take that into account. I'm sorry if this letter seemed a bit disorganized, I never really had a chance to organize my thoughts on this. Regardless of what happens, I will continue look forward to seeing your future endeavors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> Sincerely, Meta Knight." </span>
</p><p>Upon finishing the letter, the blue puff gave a satisfied nod.</p><p>"Thank you Ledo, this definitely helped." he said as he began to drop some heated sealing wax on the envelope fold.</p><p>"I'm always happy to help within reason, sir. You know that."</p><p>"Indeed, I do, and I am eternally grateful for it." His eyes briefly turned sky blue for a moment. With a single quick motion, he stamped the wax, leaving an imprint with his insignia. He then wrote "To Kirby" on the front of the envelope.</p><p>"Could you deliver it for me?" he handed the letter to the ensign, who shook his head in reply.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, that's not my job. My job was to help you write it."</p><p>The blue puff hesitated for a moment before giving an understanding nod. "Then I'll get one of the other knights to-"</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight. This is something you have to do. No one else." The sincere tone of Ledo's voice caused the knight's eyes to turn orange for a moment before returning to their normal yellow.</p><p>"...I understand." He slipped it into his cape subspace and hopped down from his chair.</p><p>"Would you like me to come with you?"</p><p>"I appreciate the offer, but I'll be fine on my own." The knight wrapped his cape around himself and walked to the door with the young man. "Besides, I'm sure you have your own things to do today."</p><p>"I don't have much going on today, but I'll see if Sailor Dee needs my help with anything."</p><p>With a nod, Meta Knight opened the door and they walked out together.</p><p>"Well, be safe when you go out, sir."</p><p>"I will. I've said this before, but I'm extremely grateful for your help today." The other gave a nod.</p><p>"It's not a problem, sir." Ledo said with a smile as he walked towards the main hanger.</p><p>The knight headed in the opposite direction. The sooner he got this letter to Kirby, the sooner he could get all of this off his mind.</p><hr/><p>A few days have passed since the letter was delivered to Kirby. A response had yet to come, whether it be in-person or sent via the mail. What made Meta Knight even more anxious is that his student never brought it up during their one training session in the past few days.</p><p>"Don't you think he just needs time to process what he read, Lord Meta Knight?" Ledo questioned.</p><p>The knight had requested that the ensign come to his room after maintenance duties so they could talk. It appeared that the knight was taking Dedede's advice to let himself vent to someone he trusted. Sailor Dee and Captain Vul both briefly mentioned being called by the knight to his room for similar reasons.</p><p>"While Kirby's reading skills are a bit below average for someone his age, I think he would have read it completely by now." He flipped over a sheet of paper, placing it in a pile of completed paperwork.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "My judgement is the same as Ensign Ledo's. Reading and reading comprehension are different by definition." </em> </span>
</p><p>There was a sigh as the knight reached over to the metal dish and slipped a lemon drop under his mask. "I understand that but…"</p><p>Suddenly his cell phone began to ring.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Lord Meta Knight, incoming call from King Dedede."</em> </span>
</p><p>The knight seemed to groan before answering it. "What do you want?"</p><p>"IS THAT HOW YA GREET A FRIEND?!"</p><p>The sudden shout caused him to nearly drop the phone. "Just calm down and get to the point."</p><p>The monarch cleared his throat before speaking. "Y'all wouldn't happen to have seen Bandana 'round your place, have you?"</p><p>If the knight wasn't wearing his mask, he would've been seen raising an eyebrow. "No, why would Bandana be on my ship?"</p><p>"The hell would I know?! He said he went to visit that pink marshmallow like two days ago and hasn't come back!" That was indeed quite strange.</p><p>"Did you try calling him?"</p><p>"Several times and it went to voicemail each time! Most I got is a text sayin' that he's busy right now! For real, what the hell is he doing? What's so important that he can't even give a short explanation 'bout what he's doing over there?! Better not be one of them rebellions or imma sock 'em so hard his great granny's gonna feel it!" the anger and frustration building in the king's voice was obvious.</p><p>"Did you try actually going to Kirby's house to ask what he's doing?" There was a pause from the other end. "Do that."</p><p>"WHY THE HELL SHOULD I DO THAT!? I HAVE NO DAMN REASON TO GO TO THAT THERE PINK LUMP'S HOUSE AND-!" Dedede's yelling was suddenly drowned out by what sounded like an avalanche of Waddle Dees before the phone hung up.</p><p>With a heavy sigh, the knight placed a hand on his head.</p><p>"Do you need some time alone, sir?" he looked up in surprise, as if he had forgotten that the young man was still in the room.</p><p>"No, you can stay…"</p><p>"Is there anything I can do to help?"</p><p>The knight began to tap his desk as if thinking. "You can think of something for me to do."</p><p>The young man pursed his lips. "Did you try reading?"</p><p>"Yes. I even alphabetized all of them."</p><p>"Even in the reading room?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Did you try exercising?"</p><p>"Yes, I followed your routine."</p><p>"Did you do any training?"</p><p>"Yes, and invoked the wrath of the Head Nurse because I didn't warm up beforehand."</p><p>"Did you go on patrol?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Did you see if the others needed help with maintenance?"</p><p>"Yes, they told me not to worry about it."</p><p>"Did you take a bath?"</p><p>"Twice."</p><p>"Did you talk to Chamber?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Affirmative." </em> </span>
</p><p>"As Chamber said."</p><p>"Do you want to go visit Dedede?"</p><p>"No, I don't. If you heard how he is on the phone, he's going to be in a bad mood. He's honestly the worst when he's in a bad mood."</p><p>"Then I got nothing, sir. I'm sorry."</p><p>"I see..." the knight replied with a heavy sigh as he ate another lemon drop. At this point, he wasn't even trying to hide how he felt through it.</p><p>The young man thought a bit more, trying to reflect further. What are some things he has noticed the knight do to relax other than what he has mentioned already? His mind recalled something about doing jigsaw puzzles with Kirby. Based on his own collective observances of both puffs, they seem to greatly enjoy positive social interaction (although it's less obvious with the knight due to his cold appearance). This seemed to match up with another behavior observed by both him and Chamber, that of his superior becoming more relaxed when doing an activity with another person. Could this be a possible solution? Well, he has no other options, so it should be worth suggesting.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, Sailor Dee mentioned something to me about jigsaw puzzles a while back. Would you like to do one together?"</p><p>The blue puff immediately turned to him, his eyes turning orange.</p><p>"Y... yes...I would quite like that..." he slightly averted his eyes, which had begun to flicker to fuchsia. It appeared that he wasn't expecting that sudden question. The knight hopped down from his chair.</p><p>"We keep them all in the reading room. It's the best location for them, I believe."</p><p>With a nod, the ensign followed after him.</p><hr/><p>The following day, Ledo was working one of the ship's main cannons when his attention was drawn by a voice.</p><p>"Excuse me, you work on this battleship, right?"</p><p>The young man turned to see a bird standing there. He immediately recognized it as Birdon, one of Kirby's many Helper friends who also delivered mail in his spare time.</p><p>"Yes, I do. Are you here to deliver something?" he asked.</p><p>"Well, I wouldn't be here otherwise."</p><p>"Fair point. What do you have for us?"</p><p>"Let's see here…I know I only had one thing that was addressed to someone on the Halberd." Birdon rummaged through his mail bag for a few minutes.</p><p>"I have a letter here for…I believe this would be for Meta Knight…" the bird handed the young man an envelope.</p><p>His eyes widened upon reading the front.</p><p>"Th-thank you very much! I'll get this to him right away!" the ensign replied quickly.</p><p>"Uh…you're welcome, but what's with the sudden reaction?"</p><p>Before anything else could be said, Ledo rushed inside of the ship.</p><p>The front of the envelope clearly read "To Meta-sensei".</p><hr/><p>"Lord Meta Knight! It's Ensign Ledo!" he knocked heavily on the door.</p><p>From inside, he heard faint grumbling about being startled by the sudden knocking.</p><p>"What is it?" a reply came back.</p><p>"A letter from Kirby just arrived!"</p><p>There were several fast steps before the door quickly opened.</p><p>"Thank you very much, Ensign." The knight replied, taking the envelope.</p><p>"It's not a problem. I'll just be getting back to work now."</p><p>As he was about to walk off, he heard his superior speak again. "…just wait a moment."</p><p>"Is there something wrong?"</p><p>"This is indeed most curious…" the blue puff uttered, his eyes turning green.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"The handwriting on this envelope doesn't look like Kirby's…it's too neat. However, he's the only person I've ever allowed to call me "Meta" …" He turned over the envelope to show a pink circular seal that had been stamped with an emblem resembling the Warp Star. "Not only that, but this wax seal on the back is unmistakably his…" he stared in deep thought.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Hypothesis: Kirby had assistance with writing it." </em> </span>
</p><p>"That's likely the case. It's probably because he really wants to get how he feels across." Meta Knight turned his back to the young man as he wrapped his cape around himself. "Ask Sailor Dee to finish your maintenance work. I would prefer it if you were in here while I read this letter, if you don't mind…"</p><p>Ledo was admittedly surprised by that statement. Why exactly would he want such a thing? "Chamber, notify Sailor Dee of the change in schedule."</p><p>
  <em> "Roger." </em>
</p><p>Upon hearing that confirmation, he followed the knight into his room.</p><hr/><p>Carefully taking a letter opener, Meta Knight began to tear along the fold line on the top of the envelope. As he took out the two sheets of paper, he could feel Ledo's anxiety over him from across the room. There was nothing left to do but read it now. With a sigh, he took a lemon drop from the tray on his desk and slipped it under his mask, unfolding the letter immediately. It was also written on a typewriter, but he noticed that it seemed to be a different model. Quite strange, since he didn't remember Kirby owning a typewriter. He should stop delaying this and just read it already.</p><p><span class="u">"To Meta-sensei,</span>" it began.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> "I'm sorry it took me a while to respond! I was so surprised by what you said in your letter that I REALLY had to think hard about what to say before I did! I know it probably would've been a ton better to tell you in person, but Bandana said I should write a letter instead. Actually, he's just writing down what I'm saying right now since my handwriting isn't good! Something about how it would help my mind clear up, I dunno. Even now I don't really know where to start with this! I guess the best thing to start with is that you shouldn't be so worried about feeling like you're weak or how you'll soon have nothing to teach me because of how strong I've become! In fact, I think you still have a ton more things to teach me, you're just focusing too much on one thing! There's more to life than fighting, you know! It's always funny and kinda irritating to me how you can say that you're weak when you summoned and defeated the greatest warrior in the galaxy! Just because you could! I don't understand how you can still say that you're weak even after doing that! Despite what you say, I'm pretty sure that you hold back during our duels as well! You keep claiming that you don't, but I think you just don't know that you're doing it. I don't remember what the word for that is. You've also said for yourself that your strength has grown over the years! It's funny since you keep calling me impatient, when it seems you're more impatient! </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> I guess what I'm trying to say is that you're stronger and better than you think! I feel safe knowing that you're here for me if I need you! Even if you don't believe me when I say that I'm just gonna keep telling you that you're wrong until you believe me! But I just want you to know this one thing, since it's super important! Whenever I say you're the greatest mentor in Gamble Galaxy, I've always meant it 100% with all my heart! Because of that, no matter what happens or what you say, you'll always be Meta-sensei to me! Please don't forget that! </span>
</p><p>
  <span class="u"> Your favorite pupil, Kirby." </span>
</p><p>Silence filled the room upon the conclusion of that letter. Ledo continued to wait in worry for a response of some kind from his superior. Soon, one came in the form of a faint tremble.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight is everything all right?" he asked with clear concern in his voice as he slightly approached him.</p><p>As the ensign got closer, the knight slipped another lemon drop under his mask, briefly noticing a streak of wetness. Was he crying? However, the aura he gave off wasn't that of sadness, it was…joy? Well, if it was joy, then that meant everything was fine. Though, he admittedly was still a bit worried for him, if only due to how sudden it was.</p><p>"…ensign, check the bottom drawer of my dresser to see if I have a spare frame." The knight managed to utter as he reached into his cape subspace and pulled out a white handkerchief.</p><p>"Yes, sir." He replied with a gentle smile.</p><hr/><p>A few days later, Ledo and Chamber went to Kirby's house. About a day after the puff's letter was received, he called the duo and asked if they wanted to hang out. With everything that happened the past couple of days combined with the ensign's own workload and Kirby occasionally being too tired after an intense training session, the two hadn't been able to do so in quite a while. The young man agreed with this sentiment and suggested they go out for a picnic today. The other, of course, agreed to it and suggested inviting a few of his Helper friends to join them. The plan was to meet up at Kirby's house before they headed off to Green Greens, where the others would be waiting. Of course, he had to run this plan through Meta Knight and Captain Vul, who both gave him permission to go. While it was mentioned that some of the Helpers would bring food to the picnic, it obviously wouldn't be enough if Kirby was going to be there. To compensate for it, the young man helped Sailor Dee pack and cook an additional basket of food for it.</p><p>Upon his arrival at Kirby's house, he knocked on the door.</p><p>"Hey, Kirby! It's me!" Silence.</p><p>He knocked again. "Kirby! Did you oversleep again!?" Silence.</p><p>He tried knocking again. "Kirby, come on! We have a picnic scheduled for today! If you don't want to miss it, let's go now!" No response. Ledo gave a sigh as he turned the door handle. It was unlocked.</p><p><em>"Strange..."</em> he opened the door and entered. There was no one inside.</p><p><em>"Where could he have gone...?"</em> just as he thought that he sensed something rocketing towards him from behind. He immediately turned around, but before he could react to the object, he was tackled by a familiar pink ball, instantly collapsing to the floor upon impact.</p><p>"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, Ledo!"</p><p>Of course.</p><p>"Ah...hello, Kirby..." he uttered, slightly pained by the impactful greeting.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, you're not hurt, are you?!" the puff seemed to panic.</p><p>"No, I'm fine, thanks." The ensign replied.</p><p>"That's a relief...anyway, I finally got you!" Kirby giggled in amusement as he hugged him.</p><p>"It doesn't count. You ambushed me."</p><p>"What?! That's not fair!" his pink friend pouted.</p><p>"Chamber, would ambushes count?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative, ensign."</em> </span>
</p><p>"NO FAIR! YOU ALWAYS SAY I HAVE TO CHANGE TACTICS!" he repeatedly punched his chest so childishly that Ledo had to keep himself from laughing.</p><p>"Alright, you win. Come on, we have a picnic today, right?"</p><p>"Ah! Right! The picnic!" the pink puff's demeanor immediately changed as he scrambled out the door.</p><p>Getting up off the floor, the young man noticed something on the wall that he hadn't seen before. It was the letter he and Meta Knight wrote, framed and hung on the wall.</p><p>"Come on, Ledo! Let's go!" Kirby called.</p><p>"I'm coming!" he took one last look at the frame.</p><p><em>"Like master, like student."</em> The young man thought, smiling to himself before leaving.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'll freely admit, this chapter was highly influenced by a joke doodle I did on Twitter, with an idea I thought of while playing Kirby Fighters 2, and a certain anime I streamed with a friend.</p><p>Jokes can sometimes be the deepest lore, you know.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Bonus 3 – Vacation on the Halberd</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 23: Bonus 3 – Vacation on the Halberd</strong>
</p><p>It started off as a normal day on the Halberd. Ledo had finished helping Sailor Dee make lunch when he noticed a bowl of dark red fruits he had never seen before on the counter. Their shape reminded him of the sweet potatoes that he and Kirby roasted during autumn, but at the same time, they resembled lips.</p><p>"Sailor, what are these?"</p><p>The Waddle Dee immediately looked at the bowl.</p><p>"Oh? Those? They're Sharrap berries. They're quite common on Green Grounds on the Popopo Islands. I was going to use a few of them to make dessert for tonight's dinner, but I think I may have bought too many. Feel free to take a few to snack on! They're really yummy!" he replied happily before returning to his cooking.</p><p>Trusting the Dee's judgement, he took one and ate it. It was the perfect balance of sweet and tart, almost like the cherry limeade juice that the Dee made for him before.</p><p>"They're great! Thanks, Sailor!" he said as he took a few more, now holding a handful of the fruits. He needed to eat some fruit to have a balanced diet for the day either way.</p><p>"Not a problem!" the Dee replied, continuing to cook.</p><p>"I'm going to get back to doing maintenance now, thanks again!" the ensign began to walk towards the door as he placed the fruits in the pocket of his pilot suit, munching on them on his way out. It would be a nice treat to come back to if he had to sortie in Chamber again. The pirate attacks seemed to have grown in frequency the past few days, and every time he was given a request to sortie.</p><p>"You're welcome!" That was when Sailor realized something. "Ah! Ledo! Don't take too many of them or you'll...!" by the time he said that, the young man was already out of sight.</p><p>He wanted to run after him, but he knew he couldn't leave the kitchen unattended. As a result, he screamed his frustration into an unused pot.</p><hr/><p>A few hours later, Ledo began to feel a bit...off. There was an itching sensation on his neck, but he didn't know what it was.</p><p><em>"It's probably just a rash, I'll ask Captain Vul to take a look at it later..." </em>he thought, as he knelt down to inspect the inner workings of the advanced pulley system that opened the door above the hanger. He had to be careful not to hit his head on the low ceiling.</p><p>"Ensign Ledo."</p><p>The young man instantly recognized the voice and backed out. "What is it, Lord Meta Knight? Ah…hello, Kirby, were you two training on the ship today?"</p><p>"Hiiii, Ledo! We were! I did super good today and…!" the pink puff smiled, only to be shushed by his mentor.</p><p>"Ensign, were you in the kitchen with Sailor Dee today?"</p><p>"I was, why?" he looked confused.</p><p>"Did you eat any of the Sharrap berries?"</p><p>"A few of them. Sailor said that he bought too many and let me take a few, so I grabbed a handful for later."</p><p>"…how many did you eat up to this point?" the knight's tone sounded graver.</p><p>"Seven, I think? I don't remember, I'm sorry."</p><p>"I see…" his eyes turned grass green as he said that.</p><p>"…is something wrong, Lord Meta Knight?"</p><p>"You may have eaten too many of them…"</p><p>"Are they poisonous!?" Ledo shouted as he sat up immediately and hit his head on the low ceiling.</p><p>"Ah! Ledo, are you okay?!" Kirby asked, running up beside him.</p><p>"No, they aren't poisonous, but you still have to watch how many you eat." The knight then noticed that Ledo seemed to mouth some words. "…I didn't catch what you said. Could you please repeat that?" The young man tried talking again, but no words came out. "Ensign, I can't help you if you can't speak."</p><p>"Meta-sensei, I think something's wrong!"</p><p>That was when the ensign clenched his neck with a pained expression.</p><p>"…ensign, get to the bridge now!"</p><hr/><p>"Open your mouth a bit more, kid…"</p><p>It was starting to hurt, but Ledo knew he had to endure it if he wanted to start feeling better.</p><p>"…yeah, his throat is looking pretty red. Part of it might come from a sore throat." Vul was about to reach for his pipe, but immediately stopped.</p><p>"I got a sore throat many times, but I never lost my voice!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>"This isn't a normal sore throat, Kirby. It's a sore throat that was made worse by eating those berries…" Meta Knight shook his head.</p><p>"I imagine the sore throat might also have something to do with…"</p><p>Before Vul could finish that sentence, a chain was suddenly wrapped around the young man's body. Startled and unable to speak, he was dragged in the direction of one of the walls, stopping just before hitting it. Ledo managed to turn his head and, to his absolute horror, saw that it was Bio Gale.</p><p>"Oh, you have got to be kidding me…" Vul grumbled.</p><p>"Head Nurse, unhand the ensign this instant." Meta Knight ordered, staring daggers at her.</p><p>She didn't respond as she leaned the young man against the wall. "Please sit down."</p><p>"Head Nurse Bio Gale. That was an order. Not a request." The knight said, this time in a firmer tone.</p><p>"Let me do my job, Lord Meta Knight." She replied, coldly.</p><p>"MS. GALE! STOP! DON'T HURT HIM!" Everyone in the room turned to look at Kirby.</p><p>"That wasn't my intention, Kirby." The tone she used was significantly warmer. Gale turned back to the young man. "Open your mouth."</p><p>Not wanting to potentially anger her, Ledo did as he was told.</p><p>"There's inflammation in the throat…no petechiae are present…no white spots on tonsils…" she murmured before taking a long swab to his throat. The ensign wanted to gag, but he knew he couldn't without angering her. Upon removing the swab, she placed it in a tube of liquid. Suddenly, the nurse leaned in extremely close, placing the back of her hand on his forehead.</p><p>"No fever…interesting…" She closed his mouth. "You haven't coughed at all either…it's likely not strep throat, but I'll run an antigen test to be sure…"</p><p>"Strep throat? Isn't that something only young kids can get?" Vul questioned.</p><p>"They are more vulnerable to it, but it is possible for adults to contract it as well. Not only that, but Ensign Ledo's medical file indicates that he is just a year over the age range where it is common." Bio Gale turned her attention back to the ensign. "I need you to answer the following questions for me. Are you experiencing a headache?"</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>"Chills?"</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>"Loss of appetite?"</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>"Trouble swallowing?"</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>"Interesting…" The way she murmured that caused him to flinch. It was the dark tone she gained whenever she heard about having a new patient.</p><p>"Head Nurse, do not." Meta Knight uttered from behind her.</p><p>"I'd like you to remove your collar for a…" she cut herself off upon looking at his neck. "…what in Nova's name is…?"</p><p>"What is it? Is it something bad?" Kirby panicked.</p><p>"…I thought these were swollen lymph nodes, but these are red veins…"</p><p>"Head Nurse, we already figured out it was Sharrap syndrome." The knight sighed. The ensign looked at him questioningly.</p><p>"Let me explain." Vul cleared his throat. "Sharrap syndrome is what happens when you eat too many Sharrap berries. You develop those veins on your neck and you become unable to speak. It's been a while since I've seen someone on this ship develop it, though." The ensign thought he saw Kirby and Meta Knight advert their eyes sheepishly.</p><p>"…these veins are too small for it to be only Sharrap syndrome. There's an underlying cause."</p><p>Everyone gazed at the nurse in surprise.</p><p>"Do you know what it is, Head Nurse?" Meta Knight questioned.</p><p>"I believe it's acute laryngitis. What likely happened is that the ensign originally developed a bacterial infection in his throat and vocal strain from shouting or talking loudly made it worse. If anything, eating those Sharrup berries was a blessing in disguise, since it allowed me to diagnose this before it became worse."</p><p>"I had a hunch about it being more than that as well…we've been forced to send him out in Chamber more often recently…" Vul grumbled.</p><p>"Ms. Gale, is Ledo gonna be okay?!" Kirby asked with clear concern.</p><p>"He will, but he won't be able to use his voice for two or three days."</p><p>"So, it's nothing major?" Meta Knight sighed in relief.</p><p>"Nothing major, but the only way to treat it is to let him rest." With a heavy yank, the chains holding the young man loosened and slipped off.</p><p>"Did you hear that, Ledo!? You're gonna be okay!" Kirby tackled him in a hug, to which the young man didn't know how to react.</p><p>"…I thought you'd be thrilled to know that you aren't going to die." Bio Gale looked at the ensign, who had slowly developed a peeved look on his face.</p><p>"You think he'd be more thrilled at the fact that you can't treat him." Vul commented.</p><p>"…Head Nurse, you mentioned something about bacteria. Do you possibly know where it could have come from?" The blue puff asked.</p><p>"I don't know. Where on this ship have there been health violations, Lord Meta Knight?" she responded with a chilling glare.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I do not understand the logic of your actions." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh? What's wrong, Chamber?" the pink puff asked upon hearing that.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo is in a state where he is unable to speak, yet all of you continue to communicate with him."</em> </span>
</p><p>"You can tell a lot about someone through their body language and expressions, tin can. It's something you're not good with." Vul replied.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I must agree with that statement." </em> </span>
</p><p>Suddenly, an alarm was sounded.</p><p>"An enemy attack? Why now?!" the knight grumbled as he picked up a phone on the bridge and pushed a button beside it. "Attention, all crew! Prepare for combat immediately!" he turned to his vice-captain. "Captain Vul, status report on the enemy!"</p><p>"Yeah, you're really not gonna like it…" the avian replied.</p><p>"I don't care! Tell me!"</p><p>"Moving at high speeds…low chance of hit with our current weapons…maintenance is unfinished…everything's matching up with the checklist."</p><p>Meta Knight gazed at him in shock.</p><p>"What does that mean?" Kirby asked.</p><p>"It means sending out Chamber is our best option." Vul replied.</p><p>Gritting his teeth, the young man stood up and began to run towards the door, only to be stopped by the avian.</p><p>"Kid, there's no way you're going out. You can't give Chamber orders in your condition, so you're not gonna be able to fight."</p><p>Ledo replied with a glare.</p><p>"Ensign, I understand your determination, but I feel it would be better if you left this to me." The young man looked questioningly at Meta Knight.</p><p>"I feel a certain level of responsibility for your condition as your superior. So please, leave this to me." His eyes turned green as the young man stared at him in stunned silence.</p><hr/><p>With a burst of gravitational energy, Chamber was launched out of the inner hanger.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"The enemy consists of several unmanned AI units." </em></span>The mech analyzed.</p><p>"No need to hold back then, right?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Affirmative, Lord Meta Knight."</em> </span>
</p><p>Ledo, currently stationed in the cockpit seat, gave an understanding nod towards him.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Lord Meta Knight! I should have been more careful with the berries!" Sailor's voice yelled over the intercom.</p><p>"Don't worry about it, we'll discuss this later…" the knight responded while his ensign shook his head.</p><p>"Come on! Let's take them down already!" Kirby exclaimed, receiving a concerned look from the young man. "Sorry, I'm a bit nervous. There's a chance we're gonna get thrown around if we lose our grip on the chair, and that scares me…!"</p><p>"If you're that nervous, you could've remained on the ship, Kirby." Meta Knight replied.</p><p>"No way! I'm not gonna pass up a chance to ride in Chamber! Besides, I wanna help Ledo, too!" his student pouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I have confirmed that command of this craft has been temporarily transferred to you from Ensign Ledo. I await your orders." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Alright! Then let's go with an all-out attack!" Kirby gave a yell.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Understood."</span> </em>Chamber began to charge forward, causing Ledo to flinch into his seat.</p><p>"Chamber, stop!" Meta Knight ordered.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Understood." </em> </span>
</p><p>The mech stopped moving.</p><p>"Meta-sensei! How are we supposed to beat up these guys quickly if we don't attack them!? The sooner we take them down, the sooner Ledo can get back and rest, right?!"</p><p>"I understand your sentiment, Kirby, and I feel the same way, but charging forward like that is too risky of a strategy."</p><p>"Don't act like you've never done that before!"</p><p>"Don't act like your impulsiveness never did anything wrong."</p><p>"META-SENSEEEIIIIIIIIII!"</p><p>The ensign looked back at them with a look of annoyance.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, on the Halberd, Captain Vul and Sailor Dee were listening to the conversation that was happening within the cockpit.</p><p>"…do you think they'll be fine, Captain Vul?" The Waddle Dee asked.</p><p>"They should be." He replied.</p><p>The conversation continued. "Yelling like that won't change anything. You do know that, right?"</p><p>"Well excuse me just wanting to finish this quickly!"</p><p>The vice captain took a drink of coffee.</p><p>
  <em>"Will they really be fine though…?"</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Chamber, the harpoon."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Understood." </em> </span>
</p><p>The machine gave a ready stance as the knight gave a slight laugh.</p><p>"Meta-sensei?" Kirby questioned in concern.</p><p>"Soulless dolls of the aerial ship pirates! You have gone far enough! Now, you will know the power of the Meta-Knights!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Correction: Kirby is not a member of the Meta-Knights."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Yeah, I'm not!" Kirby pouted.</p><p>Ledo could only give a sigh in response.</p><p>"Dodge to the right!" The ensign looked back at Meta Knight in a state of panic as the mech moved to dodge.</p><p>"Now, BRING OUT THE DRILL!" the pink puff exclaimed, receiving a panicked expression from the young man.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am not equipped with a drill, Acting Ensign Kirby."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh?! Really! Meta-sensei, we need to get Chamber a drill quickly!"</p><p>Ledo wanted to yell at him but remembered that he couldn't.</p><p>"My naïve student, anything can be a drill if you're brave enough…Chamber, the harpoon!" A chill went down the ensign's spine upon hearing that.</p><p><em><span class="u">"Understood."</span> </em>With a spinning charge, several of the robots were destroyed.</p><p>"Wow! That was so cool!" As Kirby exclaimed that, the ensign was already beginning to regret his decision.</p><p>"Now, Chamber…!"</p><p>"Meta-sensei! It's my turn! I want to fight alongside Chamber as well!"</p><p>"Kirby, we aren't taking turns. This is an actual battle. I believe that you've fought enough battles to know that one mistake could cost you your life…"</p><p>"That's no fair!"</p><p>Ledo only looked back and forth between the two in annoyance.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I assume that it will take time to make a decision. Until then, safety has been set as this unit's highest priority."</em> </span>
</p><p>That didn't make the young man feel any safer.</p><p>"Incinerate them, Chamber!"</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Understood."</em></span> Lasers shot from various parts of the machine's body. They were forced to dodge another attack.</p><p>"Ah! Be a bit more gentle!" Kirby grumbled.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Incoming call from King Dedede." </em> </span>
</p><p>"You have got to be kidding me…!" Meta Knight growled as he answered it through Chamber. "What do you want?!"</p><p>"WOULD IT KILL YA TO SAY "HELLO" ONCE IN A WHILE!?"</p><p>"Hi Dedede!"</p><p>"AND THAT PINK LUMP IS HERE, TOO!? THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS DOING RIGHT NOW!?"</p><p>The mech dodged several more attacks at a fast pace while the group's conversation continued.</p><p>"Whatever you want to call me about, now is not the time, Dedede!"</p><p>"Ooooooh, I get it. You're busy now. Got it."</p><p>"Of course, we are! The Halberd is under attack!"</p><p>"Oh…sounds rough…yo, princess, how ya holdin' up there?"</p><p>Ledo only clenched his head in irritation.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo is unable to answer."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh. What about you, tin can?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am in top condition, King Dedede. Kirby and Meta Knight have been temporarily given control due to Ensign Ledo being unable to pilot due to losing his voice."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Huh? Princess lost his voice? That must really suck for him…WAIT!? DID YOU JUST SAY THAT MK AND THAT PINK LUMP ARE PILOTING YOU?!"</p><p>
  <em> "Affirmative." </em>
</p><p>"Huh…alright, I'll just call later then. Tell princess I hope he gets better soon." He hung up.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Ensign Ledo, King Dedede has said that he wishes that you get better soon." </em> </span>
</p><p>The ensign rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Take 'em down, Chamber! Use the beam!" Kirby yelled. The beam sliced through the enemy forces like butter.</p><p>"There are so many of them…" Meta Knight uttered, looking around to see that more enemy units have appeared on the battlefield. "It seems they're even more serious about taking us down than usual…"</p><p>"Are these the same pirates that have been attacking you guys the past few days, Meta-sensei?"</p><p>"Yes, they have. It seems they're playing for keeps this time, judging by the number of enemies there are..."</p><p>Another enemy unit fired upon them, forcing Chamber to dodge quickly out of the way.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Enemy strength has increased by about 150%. Tactical retreat is recommended."</em> </span>
</p><p>"They'll only follow us back to the ship!"</p><p>"Then, what should we do, Meta-sensei?"</p><p>The knight let out a low growl as he racked his brain. Ledo gritted his teeth and turned to Kirby. He then tapped the side of his head, hoping he would get the hint.</p><p>"Can we even use that right now!? And wouldn't that just make him mad?" the pink puff leaned closer to reply with that. The young man gazed over at his superior before shaking his head. "…okay, but I'm warning you…he's gonna be super mad!" With a pout he backed away.</p><p>"How did it go again…oh, right…Chamber! Maxi…"</p><p>A large laser firing past them cut him off, destroying several of the enemies in front of them.</p><p>"Cannons online! We're going to provide you with cover fire!" The voice of Sailor Dee spoke through the intercom.</p><p>"Your help is appreciated!" Meta Knight replied with a nod.</p><p>Just as that response was given, a heavy attack sent the mech spinning and forced both puffs to grip onto the young man tightly.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Minimal damage received. Continuing combat." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Ah! What was that!?" Kirby yelled. The trio looked outside the cockpit to see a large red mech floating before them</p><hr/><p>"Huh. Seems their boss finally decided to show up." Vul grumbled.</p><p>"Sir, do you think they'll be fine on their own, even with our support?" The Waddle Dee gave a look of concern.</p><p>"At this point, we can only help as much as we can and hope they can pull through." He replied.</p><p>"I wish there was more I could do…" Sailor gave a heavy sigh.</p><p>"You're already doing the best you can…allow me to contribute to this." The avian captain walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a large mechanical crossbow. "I've kept my archery and sniping skills in top shape for a reason, you know." He gave a grin.</p><p>"Ah! But isn't that too dangerous!?" The Dee uttered.</p><p>"Maybe, but it doesn't feel right for me to just sit back and watch." He replied, heading out the door.</p><hr/><p>From within the cockpit, both Kirby and Ledo could hear a faint panting begin to rise from Meta Knight beside them. Strangely, the young man even noticed that he was faintly shuddering as well. It appeared to be a feeling he had experienced before: the fight-or-flight response.</p><p>"Chamber…annihilate." He finally uttered in a dark tone, his eyes turning green. However, his eyes carried a feeling that was more noticeably…disorientated.</p><p><em>"Roger."</em> With that phrase, the Machine Caliber fired several lasers off its body, dealing severe damage to their opponent.</p><p>"Dodge!" they moved out of the way of an incoming shot.</p><p>"Beam rifle!"</p><p>"Meta-sensei, you're acting weird…is something wrong?" before Kirby could get a response, he was jolted into the ensign's lap by the sudden high-speed movement of their machine as Chamber dodged several incoming shots. The enemy before them was looking severely damaged by this point.</p><p>"The harpoon! Now! Crush them!" With one final charge, the weapon pierced the enemy, causing the Machine Caliber to fly away to avoid the explosion. The sudden movement jolted both the pink puff and the young man forward.</p><p><span class="u"><em>"Destruction of enemy forces confirmed."</em></span> Chamber finally said.</p><p>"I'm…still alive…" After several minutes of panting and blinking, the knight's eyes returned to yellow.</p><p>"Meta-sensei, are you okay?" He could feel that both Kirby and Ledo were staring at him in concern.</p><p>"Yes. I just let my nerves get the better of me. I'm sorry." He averted his eyes sheepishly.</p><p>Before anything else could be said, they were interrupted by Sailor Dee. "That was amazing! You guys took out those machines so easily together!" he seemed to squeal with that response.</p><p>"Yeah! I was so nervous at first, but we did it! The four of us make a great team, don't you think!?" the pink puff exclaimed.</p><p>"It really looks like it! While we did give you support later, you four mostly did it on your own!"</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, how's Ensign Ledo right now?" Captain Vul questioned, as he took the headset from Sailor Dee.</p><p>Acknowledging the message, the knight looked down at the young man, noticing that his head was lowered into his hands.</p><p>"What's wrong, Ledo? We won! Isn't that great?!" Kirby asked, not receiving a response.</p><p>"Let's return, Ensign." The knight said, slipping a lemon drop under his mask. "When we get back, I'll make you some tea to help your throat recover." He received a faint nod from the ensign in response. He didn't see it, but a small smile began to appear on Ledo's face.</p><hr/><p>"It's not that hot, so feel free to drink it immediately."</p><p>Meta Knight handed Ledo a filled cup. The young man responded with a nod and began to drink it. While this was a usual part of his post-battle ritual, it was particularly relaxing this time. He just needed to wait for Sailor to return with his usual piece of cheesecake.</p><p>Kirby had plopped himself on the edge of the dining room table. "Meta-sensei…I'm starving…"</p><p>"You can wait. You're not the one with laryngitis."</p><p>"But I'm hungry…"</p><p>His mentor gave a sigh in response. "I have a treat for you as a reward for today's training, but you have to act like an adult if you want it."</p><p>"Okay…" he pouted in his usual childish manner.</p><p>"That's not acting like an adult and you know it."</p><p>"Again, Lord Meta Knight, I'm really sorry about earlier…I should've explained it to him…" Sailor Dee bowed deeply.</p><p>"You don't need to apologize, Sailor…honestly, I think if anyone should be apologizing to anyone, it should be me to Ensign Ledo."</p><p>Everyone looked at the knight in surprise.</p><p>"I remember saying that I wouldn't force you to fight, but I feel like I pressured you into doing so the past few days. After seeing what you go through when you pilot Chamber firsthand, I can't help but feel a bit guilty for sending you out there like that. I probably didn't seem like it, but I was actually quite nervous during that battle. Especially, towards the end of it all, where the only thought running through my mind was "I don't want to die". I hadn't felt like that in quite a long time, actually…"</p><p>Ledo continued to stare in surprise upon hearing that. Admittedly, he was more surprised that Meta Knight admitted it, since it was obvious that the large enemy had triggered a fight-or-flight response within his superior.</p><p>"No, that's not the point of this. Forgive me, Ensign. In the end, it appears I couldn't keep my word about that even if I tried…" he gave a depressed sigh.</p><p>"Tha…Than…" he turned immediately upon hearing that.</p><p>"Than…k…you…" Ledo managed to utter with a gentle smile.</p><p>"Ledo! Your voice is back!" Kirby tackled him in a hug, a response that caught him fairly off-guard.</p><p>"Ah…Kir…"</p><p>"Ensign, that's enough. I don't need you to overdo it while you're still recovering." Meta Knight cut him off.</p><p>"…this might be a bit of speculation, but didn't you say the first words he said in our language was "thank you", Lord Meta Knight?" Sailor Dee asked, giving the young man a piece of cheesecake.</p><p>The ensign replied with a nod.</p><p>"That's correct, and it was addressed to me as well." His superior commented.</p><p>This caused the Waddle Dee to ponder a bit more. "It really is strange, huh?" the Dee hummed.</p><p>"The mind is quite strange with how it brings up memories." The blue puff gave a nod.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"From this point on, I shall speak for how the ensign feels."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber?" both the mentor and student questioned.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The following is the results of analyzing the behavior patterns of Ensign Ledo over the past few weeks and matching it up with data provided by King Dedede…"</em> </span>
</p><p>"Dedede?" Kirby asked.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "It is assumed that the ensign will reply with words of love afterwards." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Did…you say…love…?" Meta Knight's eyes began to turn white. Ledo froze in horror upon hearing that.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Furthermore, the data obtained indicates that the words "tea" and "cheesecake" will be at maximum tactical effect under these conditions. Using all of this, I have predicted the next action of Ensign Ledo and will therefore act for him on it."</em> </span>
</p><p>The fork in the young man's hands slipped and fell with a clatter on the table, staring in stunned silence at what he was hearing.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "…agitation detected in Ensign Ledo's response. Confirming the success of operational intent." </em> </span>
</p><p>"…what's going on?" Kirby asked in confusion.</p><p>"What's this about operational intent?" Sailor Dee added.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am carrying out the act of "joking" as had been lectured to me by King Dedede. At the same time, I have confirmed its usefulness. It will allow me to support Ensign Ledo in a similar way to a successful operation."</em> </span>
</p><p>"J…Ju…Just…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!" the ensign's sudden shout caused everyone to flinch back.</p><p>"Ahhhhhh…Ledo… you shouldn't shout like that…your throat's still recovering…" Sailor uttered nervously.</p><p>"But…" he managed to stutter out.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I will answer Ensign Ledo's question. I am K6821 Chamber. I am Ensign Ledo's Autonomous Support Enlightenment Interface System."</em> </span>
</p><p>"We know that, though." Kirby commented.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"I am merely answering Ensign Ledo's question."</em> </span>
</p><p>The young man in question turned to Meta Knight who was trembling in silence. "…Ensign Ledo…I had no idea you held such feelings for me…" he uttered.</p><p>"L…Lord…" the words slipped out of the ensign's mouth as he gazed in terror.</p><p>"While I respect your feelings, I am afraid I cannot reciprocate them…"</p><p>"Lord…Meta Knight…"</p><p>"If anything, you are like Kirby, where you are like a son to me and I do not feel comfortable taking our relationship past that…"</p><p>"SIR, IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT!"</p><p>"Ah…Ledo! Your voice…!"</p><p>That was when the young man noticed that the knight was trying to suppress a laugh.</p><p>"A…ARE YOU TEASING ME!?"</p><p>"I have no idea what you are talking about, ensign…!" that time, it was poorly suppressed.</p><p>"LORD META KNIGHT!"</p><p>"META-SENSEI! STOP TEASING LEDO!"</p><p>"What are you two saying?"</p><p>"META-SENSEIIIII!"</p><p>"Aaaahhhhh…the Head Nurse will be furious…!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is a loose adaption of the Super Robot Wars Z3.2 DLC episode that focused on Gargantia.</p><p>I hope I managed to make the fight scene interesting.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Bonus 4 – The Copy Ability Exam</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 24: Bonus 4 – The Copy Ability Exam</strong>
</p><p>One day, Captain Vul and Meta Knight were on the bridge of the Halberd. The captain had been waiting for Ledo to arrive with his report on the maintenance of the ship. As for his superior...he appeared to be staring absentmindedly at the sea in front of him, occasionally stopping to write on a notepad he was carrying or eat another lemon drop.</p><p><em>"There's clearly something wrong...is it that time already?"</em> he thought.</p><p>That was when the door opened, and the ensign entered.</p><p>"Captain Vul, Lord Meta Knight, I'm here to submit my report. She's ready for takeoff."</p><p>He handed the clipboard to the vice-captain who read it over with a nod.</p><p>"Thank you, Ensign. You're done for the day." After saying that, he noticed that the young man was looking over at the knight with a concerned expression. Normally, his superior would be the first to notice Ledo's entrance to the bridge, but he didn't even acknowledge him. Silently, Meta Knight left the room through the same door the ensign entered.</p><p>"Captain Vul, is it just me, or has Lord Meta Knight been acting strange the past few days?" he asked.</p><p>"You're right. I believe that it's that time of year again..." the avian captain replied, receiving a confused glance from the young man. "Ah, I don't think you're aware of it. Around this time of the year is when Lord Meta Knight has Kirby undergo a so-called Copy Ability Exam."</p><p>"A Copy Ability Exam?" This was the first time Ledo had heard about anything like that.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Based on previously obtained data, I believe it is a combat training exam designed specifically to test Kirby."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's correct. It's a yearly test he uses to see how much Kirby has improved with using his Copy Abilities and how well he can adapt with them. He picks out a set of abilities to focus on and allows Kirby to pick a few to focus on. They alternate back and forth until the test is complete."</p><p>"So, it's a test where Kirby shows off everything he's learned?"</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>"But if it focuses on Kirby, why is Lord Meta Knight so nervous about it?"</p><p>"I think it's fairly simple. If Kirby fails this test, then that means that he failed as his mentor."</p><p>Honestly, that just made the young man a bit confused. "But wouldn't that just mean that Kirby failed?"</p><p>"You're not the first person to ask that question, kid..." he gave a shrug.</p><p>"Has he ever failed?"</p><p>Captain Vul stopped for a moment to think. "…once. It was not pretty." He seemed to shudder at the thought. Ledo wanted to ask him more about it, but he decided against it.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Based on your knowledge, I assume that you have watched this exam take place several times before."</em> </span>
</p><p>"That's right. I've sat in on it a few times. It's quite entertaining to watch." He seemed to smile at that memory.</p><p>"From what I've seen of Kirby's Copy Abilities, it sounds like it would be fun to watch." The young man commented.</p><p>"Well, maybe when Lord Meta Knight is in a better mood, you can ask him if you can sit in on the exam. For now, just prepare for takeoff."</p><p>"Understood, sir!" with a salute, the young man left the bridge.</p><hr/><p>After walking down the hallway for a few minutes, Ledo came to a stop and got into a readied stance, catching a familiar pink ball in his hands.</p><p>"Hello, Kirby." He said with a smile.</p><p>"HIIIIIII LEDO!" the puff replied cheerfully.</p><p>"What brings you here? Other than to visit me, of course." The puff hopped out of his arms and they began to walk together.</p><p>"Oh, I also wanted to visit Meta Knight! But…he shut himself up in his room and he said he's busy right now and doesn't want me to cheat on the exam." He pouted childishly.</p><p>"You mean the Copy Ability Exam?"</p><p>"Yup. He likes to surprise me with his picks, so he doesn't really talk to me much until the day of the test. It's pretty dumb…" Based on Kirby's tone, Ledo assumed he didn't like the tests that much.</p><p>"He might just do that because he wants you to practice all your abilities beforehand."</p><p>"BUT I HAVE A TON OF THEM! IT'S SO ANNOYING! HE ALWAYS PICKS SWORD FOR ONE, SO WHY DOES KEEPING THE REST SECRET MATTER?!" the sudden yelling caught the young man a bit off-guard.</p><p>"Kirby, do you hate the exam?"</p><p>"…it's a bit hard to explain, but I love actually taking it! It's super fun! …except for that one time, but whatever. The part I hate is the five days before it happens when Meta Knight is preparing it…"</p><p>From the little the ensign saw of how he was acting; he could honestly understand that sentiment.</p><p>"Ah! I know! Ledo, you should come watch me!" There was a bright excitement in Kirby's voice as he said that.</p><p>"Do you think Meta Knight will be fine with it?" he asked.</p><p>"I'm sure he won't care! Come on! It'll be fun!" He seemed to become even more excited. So much so that the young man didn't have the heart to say no.</p><p>"Well…there's a chance that I'll be fighting alongside you if Dreamland is attacked, so it'd be a good idea to see what you can do."</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "I agree with this judgement." </em> </span>
</p><p>"Really?! Yay! I can't wait!" the pink puff was now jumping up and down in excitement. Honestly, the ensign was surprised that Kirby could get anymore hyper than he already tended to be. "Oh! I remember what else I came here for! Vividria is making a short film and she wants me and you to be in it!"</p><p>"A…short film? What's it about?"</p><p>"I don't know! Let's go! It'll be fun!" the pink puff began to drag the young man off.</p><p>"Chamber! Notify the bridge about this!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Roger." </em> </span>
</p><p>Ledo didn't say anything about it, but he had a vague feeling that this casting decision was a mistake.</p><hr/><p>Soon came the day of the exam. It was to be held in the large combat chamber on the main base, so the entire crew was bustling about in final preparations for the exam.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, what time is the exam scheduled for?" Ledo asked upon entering the observation room with a tray of tea. After explaining his conversation with Kirby, the knight came to the same judgement and had given the young man permission to observe the exam.</p><p>"I told him to be here before the test starts at noon, but he's yet to show up…" he gazed towards the clock on the wall. "…and we're supposed to begin in five minutes…" he tried to give a calm sigh, but it only came out irritated. The door to the combat chamber suddenly slammed open.</p><p>"Meta-senseiiiiiiii! I'm hereeeeeeee!" Kirby's voice echoed through the room as he skipped over to the viewing room.</p><p>"I'd appreciate it if you arrived earlier, Kirby." The knight replied, exiting the room with the young man behind him.</p><p>"Why do you sound so annoyed? I'm five minutes early!" his student pouted in response.</p><p>"I told you the test began at noon and to arrive before then!"</p><p>"But I arrived before noon, didn't I?"</p><p>The knight let out a groan and facepalmed at that response. His student technically wasn't wrong.</p><p>"I still would have preferred if you arrived earlier…" he sighed as he looked behind him. "And…you didn't bring your Ability Items, did you?"</p><p>"Oh, they're on their way." The puff seemed to wave it off. Shortly after that, a heavy bag was pushed through the door.</p><p>"Heavyyyyy…!" a feminine voice from behind the bag uttered before they halted, as if not being able to move any further. "I must question how just a few Ability Items can be this heavy." A Blade Knight wearing a hat resembling that of Kirby's Sword Ability peaked out from behind the bag. Ledo was quick to recognize her from his many meetups with Kirby's Helper friends.</p><p>"Saber Blade? What are you doing here?"</p><p>The sword-wielder noticed the young man and knight watching her and walked out from behind the bag. She pulled out her sword and planted it into the floor.</p><p>"Fare thee well, Sir Ledo and Sir Meta Knight! Good to see that thou art in good health!" The two stared at her in silence. "In other words, wassup, homies." They only continued to stare awkwardly at her.</p><p>"…so what brings you here? Other than to deliver Kirby's Ability Items, of course." Meta Knight finally said after a deafeningly long moment of silence.</p><p>"Kirby asked me first, then I thought I'd stop by to visit my younger brother while I'm here." She explained. That's right. It had slipped Ledo's mind for a moment that Saber Blade was Blade Knight's older sister.</p><p>"If you're looking for Blade Knight, I believe he is getting a routine checkup in the infirmary. I'll ask Sword Knight to guide you there." He took a cellphone from out of his cape subspace, walking away as he talked into it.</p><p>"You have my gratitude." She replied before turning to Kirby. "You will probably not need it, but best of luck on this exam."</p><p>"Thanks! Have fun talking to Blade Knight!"</p><p>"Peace out." She walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.</p><p>"…Chamber, did you have any idea what she was saying?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Negative." </em> </span>
</p><p>Saber Blade's way of speaking made it hard to understand what she's saying at times.</p><p>He turned to the bag. "So, these are all the Copy Abilities you picked out for this test?"</p><p>"Yup! I tried to pick ones I think would be fun for you to watch!" Kirby exclaimed, patting the bag.</p><p>"…can I look inside?"</p><p>"NOPE!"</p><p>"NOPE!?"</p><p>"NOPE! It's a surprise!"</p><p>He probably should have expected that. It sounded like a very Kirby thing to say.</p><p>"We shall begin the test! Ensign Ledo, please enter the viewing room!" Meta Knight called out from a ledge above them.</p><p>The young man responded with a nod before turning to his pink friend. "Good luck, Kirby."</p><p>"Thanks! Have fun watching!"</p><p>Upon hearing that reply, he entered the room and took a seat.</p><hr/><p>A few seconds later, he heard the knight clear his throat.</p><p>"We shall begin the Copy Ability Exam. The goal of this test is to show me what you've learned and how well you can adapt your Copy Abilities. We shall alternate between Abilities I have chosen, and you have chosen. The test will end when we have done five each. There are three rules for this test: First, do not hold back."</p><p>"Meta-sensei, you explain the rules every time we do this test…I think I know what they are by now…" the child pouted as he cut him off.</p><p>"Do not interrupt. I am making sure you know them."</p><p>"And isn't it dangerous if I don't hold back?"</p><p>"Do. Not. Hold. Back. I will not repeat myself. Second rule: you must stay in the testing area. You cannot leave this room for any reason. If you are somehow injured during the test, I will contact the infirmary. Finally, neither of us can select any limited-use abilities such as Crash or Microphone for this test."</p><p>"But didn't you say the base is reinforced enough so it could handle Crash?"</p><p>"Again, do not interrupt. Even if it can, I'd rather not risk it. Besides, there's no point in testing it. We all know what it can do."</p><p>Even Ledo himself was aware of what Crash could do after seeing Kirby use it a short time back. However, the young man had a vague feeling the real reason had something to do with that Microphone ability. Everyone he's met on this planet has treated it with the utmost dread and horror and it only made him more curious to why. Could it be because it's more destructive than Crash?</p><p>"Do I make myself clear with these rules?" The knight finished. His student replied with a nod. A sword was immediately embedded into the floor in front of Kirby. There was no further conversation, as if the knight was saying "you know what to do".</p><p>The pink puff sighed for a moment before taking the blade, transforming into Sword Kirby. The knight immediately jumped down from the ledge and their fight began. There was an immediate clash between the blades that caused both to stagger back.</p><p>Ledo was quick to notice that this fight was greatly different from that Sword training session he saw a while back. Then again, it was probably because Kirby wasn't holding back this time.</p><p>The two puffs spun at each other and were knocked back by another clash. Taking advantage of his mentor's stagger, Kirby charged forward with his sword. The attack was quickly dodged by the knight, who used his cape to teleport and try to slash at him upon appearing from a pit of darkness. The pink puff managed to block it but staggered from the blow before the knight came at him from the side. Gaining a bit of aerial momentum from jumping over the attack, he thrust the blade down, but it was blocked again. He tried another aerial attack blocked again. And another. It was blocked again. Then with another aerial spin slash, he managed to break through his guard. The knight flinched back from the impact before beginning another charge, which his student countered.</p><p>Although Ledo could hear the clanging of swords, it was all deafeningly silent. Usually, Kirby would happily yell move names whenever he was showing off his abilities, but the lack of speaking at this moment was likely the result of this particular test's intensity. Now that he thought about it, the pink puff didn't do that in the first training session with Meta Knight that he saw. He wondered if it was because the knight would rather have his student take fights like this seriously, or if it was simply because their sparring matches were so intense that he needed to put all of his effort into fighting seriously.</p><p>The fight continued as Kirby spun his sword again, only for Meta Knight to block it, reel back and charge at him. The student uppercutted him with the blade, causing him to stagger. The pink puff raised his sword, gathering energy, and fired off a crescent shot. This attack was barely blocked, and the knight took to the air immediately, performing a Shuttle Loop which caught the pink puff inside it. Gritting his teeth in frustration, the puff swung the sword downwards, cutting off the aerial attack. This caused his opponent to be slammed into the ground, bouncing once before skidding backwards a bit, using his wings to balance himself. The pink puff spun his sword around, slamming it down from the air. The knight jumped back to dodge the attack, it nearly connecting. The two stared at each other in a ready stance, waiting for the other's next move. That was when the knight again retreated into his cape. Kirby began to slightly walk away, his sword still at the ready. The moment his mentor reappeared with a spinning slash, he countered with his own and forced both of them to stagger back. The pink puff quickly recovered, however, and attacked with a series of quick slashes. The knight blocked all but the final which he barely managed to dodge. Regaining his footing, the knight charged forward in a drilling move, which Kirby himself barely dodged and clashed with another swing. The impact of the attack threw both of them back and they stood across from each other, now panting heavily.</p><p>"I... I think...that's enough..." Meta Knight finally said, still barely able to catch his breath.</p><p>"We...we aren't done though...!" Kirby replied, equally panting.</p><p>"Any...any further and... you're...you're going to...break...my mask..."</p><p>Ledo noticed that Kirby rolled his eyes at that.</p><p>"We'll take a break...before the next test...pick out what... ability you want to use..." he returned his sword to the scabbard on his side.</p><p>His student nodded and walked over to the bag of Ability Items, opening up a case of bottled water that had been placed alongside it. As he waited to catch his breath, he watched his mentor return to the viewing room. Shortly after entering, there was an audible cracking sound, a loud groan, and the young man inside looking visibly surprised. The pink puff laughed to himself at the scene.</p><hr/><p>After the short break, it was time for the next test.</p><p>"Alright, Kirby, show me what your ability is." Meta Knight said through the microphone.</p><p>With a nod, Kirby ate a strange looking hat, gaining a striped tent with a face on his head.</p><p>"Circus?" the knight murmured.</p><p>"Yup! Circus!" the puff replied.</p><p>"What does this ability do?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"Watch this! Somersault! Backsault!" he leaped forward and backward onto his hands and back.</p><p>"That's…interesting but is that it?" the young man questioned.</p><p>"Nope! Watch!" with a running start, a flaming hoop seemed to appear out of nowhere as Kirby jumped through it, setting himself on fire.</p><p>"Is... he okay?" the young man uttered just as the puff landed on his two feet without a scratch on him.</p><p>"Fire Hoop Jump!" The pink puff then seemed to bounce into the air. "Trampoline!" he jumped onto another trampoline, propelling him even higher. "Acrobatics!" Just as he was about to hit the floor he stepped onto a spinning ball and regained his balance.</p><p>"Impressive. It's a roundabout way of melting ice, but a way to melt ice nonetheless." The knight commented.</p><p>"I'm not done yet!" hopping off the ball, Kirby began to juggle batons into the air.</p><p>"Is there a purpose to this?" the ensign questioned his superior. Just as he uttered that, the batons were set on fire, with the puff continuing to juggle them as if nothing was happening.</p><p>"Yes, that is the purpose." Meta Knight replied.</p><p>"Ah! One more thing!" The pink puff blew up a flower shaped balloon, which popped at a certain point.</p><p>"What is that?"</p><p>"Balloon art! You want to see something cool with it!?" Kirby blew up another balloon, but this time it resembled Chamber. "Here! Take this as a souvenir!" he skipped over to the door and opened it, handing the balloon to the ensign.</p><p>"Oh...thank you, Kirby." The young man couldn't help but smile at the sudden gesture.</p><p>"Is that all you have to show off with the Circus Ability?" the knight asked.</p><p>"Yup!"</p><p>"I see. Take a bit of a break while I prepare the next ability." Giving an understanding nod, the child walked back over to his case of water and opened another bottle.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, if you don't mind, I'd like to take this to my room." The young man said.</p><p>"Make it quick. I'd like us to begin the next test soon." His superior gave a reply without looking up from his notebook.</p><p>"Understood." He swiftly stepped out of the room upon hearing that.</p><hr/><p>Upon returning to the combat room, Ledo didn't notice anything different.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, did you continue the test without me?" he questioned.</p><p>"No, we were waiting for you to return." The knight stepped out of the observation room, allowing the young man to enter. "Now, for your next test!" a flaming crown was tossed to Kirby, who immediately swallowed it. His head burst into flames, resembling the aforementioned crown.</p><p>"Ah, what ability is this, sir?" the young man asked.</p><p>"Fire." The reply was blunt. He probably should have figured. "Show me what you can do, Kirby. Start out with Fire Breath and go on from there." The knight sat back in his chair, carefully observing his student. With an acknowledging nod, the pink puff breathed out a fury of hot flames.</p><p>"Why start with something so simple?" Ledo questioned. To him, this was a far cry from a few of the other abilities he's seen Kirby use. Many of those abilities were quite eye-catching. This was…just simple.</p><p>"It's the most basic move for the Fire Ability. Years ago, this was the only move he could perform with this Copy Ability." That was when the fiery breath began to engulf Kirby. "Fireball Inferno, huh?" the knight murmured.</p><p>"That's not the only thing, you know!" his student pouted as he jumped into the air and set himself on fire again.</p><p>"I see…" he commented.</p><p>"Why are you saying that?! You already know that I can do that!" Kirby ran towards the window and turned into a burning fireball. Ledo was about to panic before he saw the puff stop just before with a small explosion.</p><p>"Huh. You can even do Searing Burn."</p><p>"WHY ARE YOU ACTING SURPRISED?!" the knight's student pouted. He then jumped into the air again, setting himself on fire just before hitting the ground. To the ensign's surprise, he began to move around the ground and jump! He rolled over to the other wall and began to climb it.</p><p>"All the Fireball skills…" the knight took some notes. "Impressive. It appears you've gotten better with the Fire ability."</p><p>Kirby landed perfectly on the ground upon hearing that. "Yup! I thought I did as well!" he smiled.</p><p>"I'd like to say that you improved, but frankly, I've never seen you use this ability before." The young man sighed.</p><p>"Thank you anyway! Would you like to try it?!"</p><p><em><span class="u">"It is not possible for Ensign Ledo to use Copy Abilities, Kirby</span>."</em> It was Chamber that spoke up that time.</p><p>"I know that! We could have Sailor make him Superspicy Curry if he wants! It'll make a similar effect!"</p><p>"I think I'll pass on that." He didn't want to admit that he had tried it before and regretted the decision immediately.</p><p>"That's enough of that, Kirby. Prepare for the next test." Meta Knight cut him off.</p><p>"Fiiiinnnneeee…" his student uttered with a pout.</p><hr/><p>After a brief break, it was time for the next test.</p><p>"Now, what ability are you going to show off now?" Meta Knight asked.</p><p>"Hee hee! It's one you don't know about yet!" his student giggled, hiding an Ability Item behind his back.</p><p>"I highly doubt that, Kirby." Just as the knight said that, the item was swallowed, and the puff gained a red and yellow wrestling mask on his face. "...what is this?" he barely managed to contain his surprise.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, I think that is the Wrestler ability." Ledo's response was met with a white-eyed stare of shock.</p><p>"How do you know about this ability!?"</p><p>The young man hesitated to reply for a moment. "He used it during the Buddy Tower incident..." He was met with a silent stare.</p><p>"…I see." The tone the blue puff used was not clear. It was likely just an acknowledgement, since the ensign and his superior mutually disliked talking about that incident for various reasons. While they did ultimately become closer because of it, the circumstances weren't the best.</p><p>The knight turned his attention back to his student. "Alright, Kirby. What can this ability do?"</p><p>"Um…you wouldn't happen to have any boxes or something you wouldn't mind being broken, would you?" his student replied.</p><p>"Use the Star Blocks we use for testing Suplex if you need to."</p><p>With a nod, the pink puff ran over to the nearby wall and began to pull out several yellow blocks with a star design on them.</p><p>"What's the Suplex Ability?" Ledo questioned.</p><p>"It's an ability that focuses on grabbing and using various throws to damage enemies. There's only one attack that does not require a grabbed enemy to do damage, so it's quite impractical to use against larger opponents."</p><p>"That does sound like it would be impractical…" the young man murmured.</p><p>By the time their conversation was done, Kirby had carried all the boxes and placed them in front of the viewing window.</p><p>"Begin when you are ready." Meta Knight said.</p><p>With a nod, his student began with several chops. "CHOP! CHOP BARRAGE! FINAL CHOP!" The final hit sent the box to the opposite side of the room. He followed up by grabbing a box next to him. "BLAZING BACK BREAKER!" With a slam, the box was destroyed. Kirby then continued to chain grab on the many boxes spread throughout the room, performing various throws on them. "MEGATON SLAM! AIR SUPLEX! GIANT SWING! ROLLING BREAKER! ULTRA BACK BREAKER! AIR CORKSCREW!" Ledo found it entertaining to watch, but he then noticed that his superior had a certain air of…disappointment around him. Is it something about the Ability itself?</p><p>As if having enough of supposedly humoring him, Meta Knight gave a sigh before speaking. "Kirby, from what you've shown me so far, this doesn't seem any different from the Suplex ability other than looking flashier…" The student, who appeared to be charging his fist, pouted in irritation.</p><p>"They ARE two different abilities! You think I don't know my own Copy Abilities?!" the pink puff gave an annoyed punch to one of the Star Blocks, sending it through the ceiling. There was nothing but stunned silence.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight…?" Ledo finally uttered.</p><p>"That was like a hammer swing without the hammer…!" His superior managed to utter under his breath.</p><p>"Did you see that?! I call it Launcher Lariat!" The child gave an innocent smile.</p><p>"I…see…" the knight uttered, unsure how to react further.</p><p>"But that's not all! I have a bunch of other moves!" Kirby climbed onto an unused box and then jumped off. "ROLLING SOBAT!" he did a spinning kick in front of him. "HEADBUTT!" he swung his head in front of him and landed on the floor. "FLYING DROPKICK!" The puff gave a spinning dropkick as he charged forward. He jumped back into the air and gave a downward kick. "WRESTLER PINPOINT KICK! WRESTLER FURY STOMP!" Upon landing, he jumped up in a backflip and gave a diving charge. "METEOR PLANCHA!" he jumped off a wall and stuck the landing perfectly.</p><p>"Ensign, did you know he could do all that?" Meta Knight finally turned to Ledo and questioned.</p><p>"I did, but he's a lot less clumsy while using it now."</p><p>"…so, he did practice after all…" He wrote down some notes.</p><p>"Did you see?! Wasn't that awesome!?" Kirby ran up to the window in excitement.</p><p>"It was. I enjoyed watching you, Kirby." The ensign replied.</p><p>"It was quite a sight." The knight didn't look up from his notebook.</p><p>"Sensei, were you even watching?!" the child said with an annoyed pout.</p><p>"I was. If you're done, take a break before the next session." The reply he gave was blunt.</p><p>"Fiiinnnneeeee…."</p><p>"Well, we wouldn't have to if you didn't put a hole in the ceiling."</p><p>Kirby averted his eyes sheepishly at that.</p><hr/><p>Thankfully, the hole was small enough to be patched up in only a couple of minutes. It was time for the next test. Meta Knight stepped out of the viewing room and tossed a hammer to Kirby. Upon swallowing it, the puff gained a twisted blue and white headband and now held the swallowed item as his weapon. It was the Hammer Ability.</p><p>After reentering the room, the knight cleared his throat and began to speak. "Ok, Kirby. As you can tell, next is the Hammer Ability, and for this test—…" But before he could finish his explanation, the lights went out and then smoke began to fill the room.</p><p>"…Chamber, did the power go out?! Is there a fire!?" Ledo shouted.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Negative. Sensors indicate that the power is working as intended. There have been no reports or indications of a fire."</em> </span>
</p><p>The lack of power was immediately followed up with...music? Then, the lights came back on and in the middle of the floor stood a shadowy figure holding a huge object. Suddenly, the figure took a mighty swing, clearing out all the smoke. Once all the smoke cleared, the figure was revealed to be King Dedede wearing a peculiar mask. With a confident glare in his eyes, he pointed towards Kirby.</p><p>"Alright, you pink blob! Let's get this party started!"</p><p>After the masked monarch shouted this, Ledo heard clapping. Turning towards the door, the young man saw a horde of Waddle Dees cheering on the king.</p><p>"Why did I agree to this...?" Meta Knight uttered with a facepalm.</p><p>"You asked him to help out?" Ledo questioned.</p><p>"Yes, but I should've figured he would make a show out of it…" Just as he finished that sentence, there was a loud slam from outside as Kirby whacked Dedede's masked face with a hammer, sending him skidding back.</p><p>"OI! I'M TRYING TO DO MY INTRO HERE, YA PUDGY TUB OF LARD!" Slamming the handle of his hammer into the ground, the hatch on the main body opened and launched several missiles.</p><p>"Look who's talking!" the pink puff dodged and destroyed the missiles by spinning the hammer at his feet. The king followed immediately with a jumping hammer swing, but Kirby dodged it with a horizontal swing.</p><p>"Come on, I thought you were faster than that!" The puff transitioned immediately into a fiery hammer flip.</p><p>"Ack! Son of a!" Out of seemingly impulse, the king threw his opponent away like a croquet ball.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, are you sure Kirby will be okay?!"</p><p>"Don't worry about it. This is just how those two fight." The knight replied calmly. The child in question immediately got to his feet and charged back into the battle with another hit and run hammer swing. Dedede ran after him with his hammer at the ready.</p><p>"Get back here! Or are ya 'fraid of getting squashed!?" The next heavy swing missed.</p><p>"Big talk from the guy with a perfect loss record!" Kirby jumped with an aerial hammer swing, causing the king to flinch.</p><p>"YOU LITTLE SH-!" the monarch cut himself off, as if remembering that Meta Knight was watching him and knowing fully well that he would violently disapprove of any foul language used in front of his child opponent. Instead, he took a deep inhale. Of course, that didn't do anything but leave him open to a back attack from Kirby.</p><p>"Ugh! Stupid pink marshmallow! Prepare to get ROASTED!" The king stabbed his hammer in the ground and shot out a burst of fire.</p><p>"Say that when you can actually hit me!" Dodging again, Kirby jumped and gave another hefty aerial hit. Dedede stumbled back from that hit, and his hammer was knocked to the other side of the room.</p><p>"Did you see that!? I did it!" The puff cheered as he turned to the viewing room window.</p><p>"NO WAY! NOT YET!" Surprised, everyone turned their attention to the king, who grabbed a poleaxe from one of the Waddle Dees watching.</p><p>"Dedede, what are you doing!? This wasn't what we agreed on! You were only supposed to use your hammer!"</p><p>"PLANS CHANGE, BLUEBERRY!" The king held out the axe in a ready stance. "Listen 'ere, pinky! You're going down!"</p><p>Kirby seemed to scoff at that as he hit the king with another hammer attack. However, his opponent didn't even flinch that time, instead hitting him with an axe combo, sending him across the room before doing a horizontal spin attack.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, shouldn't we stop him?!"</p><p>"No, this is good training."</p><p>"But isn't Kirby in danger?!"</p><p>"Despite how ruthless Dedede's fighting style is, when he's against Kirby, he becomes about as threatening as a passive-aggressive memo."</p><p>"So, he talks big, but can't back it up?"</p><p>"Exactly."</p><p>Just as he said that the king stopped spinning out of dizziness, allowing Kirby to attack. He swung back, getting in another hit, only causing the puff to skid a bit backwards. The king charged forward with the axe, but that was dodged by his opponent. With one final swing, Kirby smashed his hammer into Dedede's head, shattering the mask he was wearing. Stunned, the monarch finally collapsed to the floor.</p><p>"Are you done now?" the knight uttered in an annoyed tone.</p><p>"NO WAY! NOT YE…OWWWWWWWW!" the king was surrounded by panicked Waddle Dees the moment he let out that groan of pain.</p><p>"Ensign, contact the medical ward." Meta Knight grumbled.</p><p>"Sir, are you sure that's a good idea?" The young man questioned with concern.</p><p>"He'll be fine. Besides, he needs to learn a lesson from this anyway."</p><p>"Got it…" He looked back at the scene outside to see the large crowd of Waddle Dees trying to help the king stand while Kirby walked over with a second bottle of water. "Chamber, contact the head nurse."</p><p>
  <em>"Understood. Contacting the medical ward."</em>
</p><p>Hopefully, the head nurse won't be too harsh on the king.</p><hr/><p>While Kirby wasn't that hurt from the previous fight, the break was a bit longer than it normally would be.</p><p>"Hey, Kirby, what was with that mask that Dedede was wearing?" Ledo asked. The puff had been taking his break in the viewing room for this round.</p><p>"Oh…that? It's just a mask that he wears when he's "serious". Like he wore it the one time when he wanted to get revenge on me for beating him down the first time."</p><p>"When he took all of the food in Dreamland?"</p><p>"Yup."</p><p>"I still can't help but feel he got the idea from me…" Meta Knight uttered.</p><p>The room was suddenly punctuated by a loud scream originating from the direction of the medical ward. "I see the head nurse has begun Dedede's treatment already..." The knight uttered. Kirby hopped down from the chair and walked out the door.</p><p>"Where are you going?" The ensign questioned.</p><p>"I'm gonna start the next test!" The pink puff skipped over to the bag he brought and took out another Ability Item.</p><p>"Very well. Show us what ability you have this time." His teacher nodded, preparing his notebook.</p><p>Kirby took the item and swallowed it, gaining a broom and a white bandana with green stars.</p><p>"Cleaning?" The knight seemed to question under his breath.</p><p>"Is it that odd of an Ability?" Ledo asked.</p><p>"No, it's just…"</p><p>"Heeyyyyy! Aren't you supposed to be paying attention?" The student pouted at them through the window.</p><p>"Well, you'll see in a bit." The young man nodded and looked out.</p><p>"Hup!" Kirby began to sweep the floor, generating dust. He walked further and created an even larger cloud of dust.</p><p>"It seems to be fairly straightforward." Ledo commented.</p><p>"It is. However, this is a test to see how well he can utilize it." His superior replied. A splash of water slammed into the window and they could see child pouting at them from the other side. "We're still watching. Just keep going."</p><p>With an additional nod, Kirby dashed for a moment before being pushed along the ground by what appeared to be Nago.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, what was that?" The young man questioned in surprise.</p><p>"Magecraft." The reply was blunt.</p><p>"Kirby knows magecraft?"</p><p>A nod. "Our species can learn quite a lot of magecraft. This is one that allows him to summon a construct of his friends in certain attacks. As long as he has a close connection to his friend and an ability to match up, it works."</p><p>This idea made Ledo stop and think a moment. Could there come a time where Kirby will be able to summon him? There was also something about that magecraft he mentioned that interested him.</p><p>"Is this the same magecraft that allows you to transform your cape into wings? And if that's the case, does that mean Kirby will eventually learn to use it some day?"</p><p>"Perceptive as always…" the knight mused. "Yes, it's similar, though it also utilizes my Dimensional Cape's own abilities. If Kirby ever wishes to use it when he is older, I might teach it to him." He stared reflectively outside, noting that the next technique was riding on a broom with Chuchu.</p><p>"But for now, the Wing Ability should be enough." The young man added after a moment of silence.</p><p>"…yes, I agree."</p><hr/><p>During the next break, Dedede was returned to the room by Bio Gale, but there was something…off about him. He slumped in a chair in a dead-eyed daze, not even reacting to Kirby poking him.</p><p>"…I feel like I should question the head nurse about this, but I doubt she would give me a straight answer." Meta Knight commented.</p><p>"She'd probably just say this was the result of his treatment." Ledo nodded in agreement.</p><p>"I brought lunch." Sailor Dee entered the room with a cart of food.</p><p>"LUNCH TIME!" Kirby jumped up and immediately raced over to the Waddle Dee. In panic, the Dee held up a plate that was immediately devoured.</p><p>"Kirby." Still chewing, the pink puff turned back upon hearing his name being called. "While we're eating, your next test will begin." The knight tossed a spear towards him, which was swallowed up. The puff gained a spear and wore a gold-crested red headband.</p><p>"Would this be the Spear Ability?" The young man asked.</p><p>"Correct." His superior turned to the outside. "This test will also be a duel. I feel that I must remind you again..."</p><p>"I know, I know! Don't hold back! You've said it so many times that I know it by now!" There was an irritated pout on his face.</p><p>The reason why he was given that reminder became clear when the door to the combat chamber opened and someone stepped in. It was Bandana Dee. Sailor immediately left the room afterwards.</p><p>"Remember what I said, Kirby. You may begin."</p><p>Right off the bat, Bandana started off with a ground thrust, throwing the puff off guard and balance. Now in the air, Kirby heavily dropped downwards, landing with a thud. The Waddle Dee dodged it but was barely scraped by it. He spun and threw three spears at him, only to be dodged and receive an attack with more spears in retaliation. The Dee let out a barrage to counter his attack. The Dee spun his spear to knock away the attacks. The puff countered with his own, knocking away every blow, staggering back at one blow. The Waddle Dee then spun up into the air as if it was a helicopter propeller. Just as he got high in the air, he dropped an attack similarly to Kirby's own earlier attack. The puff dodged again.</p><p>Ledo had been watching the fight intently but was suddenly broken out of this trance-like state by a slight growl from beside him. He took a moment to look and saw that Meta Knight was sitting there, clenching his pen with reddened eyes.</p><p>"Kirby…what did I tell you about holding back?" he spoke coldly through the mic.</p><p>"I'M NOT HOLDING BACK!" His student responded by slapping Dee with the spear. "Ah! I'm sorry!"</p><p>"Do not make me repeat myself!"</p><p>Kirby seemed to sigh at that snapping order and let out another barrage of spears that managed to kick Bandana. Another ground thrust in response. It was dodged. The fight began to turn in a completely different direction. It was as if Bandana was being even more intensely pressured than usual and was now struggling. Then suddenly…</p><p>"OW! OW OW OW OW!"</p><p>A spear landed in front of the viewing glass. Kirby stood strong but was panting just as much as the Dee before him.</p><p>"That's good enough Kirby. Take a break" The knight replied in satisfaction.</p><p>"I…I thought I was gonna die!" Bandana squeaked, being helped up by Kirby.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm sorry, Meta Knight would've gotten angry at me if I held back…"</p><p>"Oh, I know that well." Bandana shrugged, as if telling Kirby not to worry. However, Kirby's tone showed that he was indeed worried. "Don't worry about it, Kirby! I'm not hurt!" The Waddle Dee attempted to reassure him. He received a nod in response.</p><p>Just as Kirby sat down to drink a bottle of water, he heard Bandana screaming.</p><p>"GREAT KING?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" That should probably be explained.</p><hr/><p>"Leaping Quiver!" Several arrows were embedded into the block.</p><p>"Arrow Slash!" The block had been destroyed.</p><p>"Very good, Kirby." Meta Knight said as he began to write down some notes. "Go take a break before the final test."</p><p>With a nod, his student walked over to the bag and case of bottled water.</p><p>"It's quite interesting to see how Kirby uses his copy abilities…" Ledo commented.</p><p><em><span class="u">"While I cannot directly observe how these Copy Abilities work, I find that the data collected from these tests will be very valuable for future planning."</span> </em>Chamber added.</p><p>"Ugh…I don't know why we gotta sit here and watch 'em…but I guess I gotta keep an eye on Bandana…" Dedede grumbled. The king had woken up during the test that used the Jet Ability to all the noise it was making.</p><p>"You were kind of out for a while, Great King…" Bandana sighed.</p><p>"Frankly, I don't even remember what happened in that there medical office. I just had a massive amount of pain and everything went black." He turned to Meta Knight. "I dunno what medical school that there nurse of yours went to, but Imma be sure it gets shut down ASAP!"</p><p>"If you're asking me to tell you what school it is, even I don't know that." The blue puff didn't even look up from his notebook.</p><p>"Oh! Can we start the next one!?" The puff suddenly exclaimed.</p><p>"Don't you need a break?" Bandana questioned in concern.</p><p>"No, I'll be fine! This next ability is easy to use!" The puff smiled.</p><p>"Very well…we can wrap this up early." The knight turned the page. "Begin."</p><p>With an understanding nod, Kirby swallowed the final ability item, gaining a big top hat with a yellow ribbon brim.</p><p>"Magic…haven't seen this one in quite some time…"</p><p>"Is there a reason for that, sir?"</p><p>"Yes. Some abilities are harder to find than others." In Ledo's mind, that probably meant it was a very powerful one.</p><p>Kirby began by taking the hat off, with several birds flying out. He repeated the action again to throw out three cards. Then again, a jack-in-the-box came out. They all seemed like fairly basic attacks.</p><p>"Man, can't ya do somethin' interesting…" Dedede grumbled.</p><p>"I'm getting to that! Next is Luck of the Draw!" Kirby pouted.</p><p>"Luck of the Draw?" The ensign asked his superior.</p><p>"A roulette of varying effects. It's the signature move of the Magic Ability."</p><p>That was when Kirby clenched the brim intently, as if in deep thought about something. "LUCK…OF…THE…DRAW!" He threw his hat off and a puff of confetti burst out. Several hats began to appear on top of Kirby's head at rapid speed.</p><p>"What's going on?" Ledo looked towards Meta Knight.</p><p>"One of the effects that could be obtained from Luck of the Draw is a Copy Ability roulette. When the roulette stops, he will have a random Copy Ability."</p><p>"So, you gonna test 'em on that ability as well?" Dedede seemed to shrug.</p><p>"…that would be quite a good idea, actually."</p><p>At that moment the roulette stopped. Ledo noticed that Meta Knight, Dedede, and Bandana were now staring in horror at the ability that had been given by the roulette. Kirby was now wearing red earphones with stars on them. It didn't take long for him to realize why they were so horrified. This must be that Microphone Ability he had heard so much about. For a moment, the puff seemed surprised, but then there seemed to be a twinkle of glee.</p><p>"Ah! Now you can finally listen to my song!"</p><p>"KIRBY, DON'T-!"</p><p>"This first one is called 'Assault Love Heart' or something like that!"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Ensign Ledo, I recommend immediate evacuation. The threat level of your current location has risen by 200%."</em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber?!"</p><p>Any further conversation was cut off by a loud blast of sound originating from a megaphone.</p><p>"That son of a bitch!" Dedede gritted his teeth and rushed towards the door with his hammer.</p><p>"KIRBY, STOP!"</p><p>Another blast of sound shook the room, causing both Meta Knight and Ledo to fall out of their seats. He had begun to see why this ability was feared. He had heard Kirby sing normally, and it was already quite awful. But…now that it was amplified…it hurt…everything about it just hurt.</p><p>"For the love of Nova, I told him not to use it!" The knight was barely able to push himself onto his hands.</p><p>"Is this…Microphone!?" The ensign managed to get out.</p><p>"And…for the finale!" He braced himself for impact.</p><p>"CHESSSUUUUTOOOOOOOOO!"</p><p>That was the last thing Ledo heard before he passed out.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The young man stood silently, staring at a communication device. While thoughts of his old friend came back occasionally, they were returning particularly strong this time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, Ledo! Sorry for being a bit late! There were a ton more letters than usual!" A tanned girl ran up beside him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, hey, Amy." He briefly looked at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, what's the matter...?" that was when she noticed the device in his hands. "...oh, were you thinking about Chamber again?" her tone was of clear concern.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah...it's been happening more often recently."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh...do you have any idea why?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hmmm...it might have something to do with a few of the dreams I've been having recently..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What kind of dreams, if you don't mind me asking?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'll explain on the way home. I'm sure Bebel's waiting for us."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"AAAHH! You're right! He's probably worried sick!" She pulled him along with a grip so harsh he could've sworn his arm would've come out of its socket. "Ah, so about that dream?" she suddenly remembered as she slowed her running.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Oh, well...first of all, Chamber was still with me and...how do I explain the rest of it? It might sound a bit strange..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, you know you can talk to me about anything! I won't think it's weird!" she pouted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"You're right." The young man cleared his throat. "So, as I mentioned, Chamber was still with me. But we were working on a battleship run by a blue ball creature who wore a mask."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why did he wear a mask?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Outside of hiding his face, I don't know. I guess it's because he's afraid he won't be taken seriously because his real face looks cute. He was kind and patient, if a little harsh at times, but he really seemed to care for me. He trained another ball creature, but that one was pink and very hyper."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Uh-huh?! Uh-huh?!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He was pretty amazing, like not only did he have this sort of talent that let him copy powers from various things, but he could instantly become friends with anyone regardless of their past."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Wow, for real?! Sounds like a great person to be friends with!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yep. There was this bird king that was his self-proclaimed rival...he was big and a bit overweight, to be polite. He also liked to call me "princess", and it really got on my nerves..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Was he a nice king?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"When you got to know him, yeah. He'd try not to say it directly to your face though. In one dream, his hug nearly crushed me..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"So that's why you were screaming that one night..." Ledo turned to her with a gasp. "Just kidding! What else?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"He had this other ball creature that wore a blue bandana that served as his advisor. He was extremely polite but knew how to wrangle everyone well when they got out of hand. They also had a ton of other friends who were each unique in their own way."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Sounds like an amazing dream..."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah, it was. It's a bit strange how real it all felt..."</em>
</p><hr/><p>"What a strange dream…" Ledo uttered when his vision finally returned.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Ensign Ledo, I do not recommend doing such dangerous actions in the future…" </em> </span>
</p><p>"Chamber…what happened?" His mind felt foggy and dazed. It took a moment to piece together what happened.</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em> "Your body has induced physical trauma, which caused you to lose consciousness for a few minutes." </em> </span>
</p><p>"I see…" He looked beside him to see half of his superior's familiar mask. <em>"Must've broken during that impact…" </em>he thought.</p><p>Just as that left his mind, Meta Knight immediately jumped to his feet upon waking and made a beeline to the door. From the brief look he got of the blue puff's face; the young man saw that he was <span class="u">furious</span>. The only thing the ensign could think of to do was to follow out the door after him. Kirby himself was already on his way to the door but froze in place when he saw his mentor briskly stepping towards him.</p><p>"You absolute FOOL!"</p><p>Both Ledo and Kirby seemed to flinch back when the knight shouted that.</p><p>"Not only did you not follow the rules we established, but you endangered Ledo's life with that stunt! I was beginning to think you have matured, but clearly I was wrong!"</p><p>With every scolding word he said, it seemed more like Kirby was about to cry.</p><p>"I have no choice but to fail you for-!"</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, Kirby never broke the rules."</p><p>The knight glared at the ensign upon hearing himself be cut off. "Explain." He ordered coldly.</p><p>"Chamber, what is the final rule of the Copy Ability Exam?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"The final rule of the Copy Ability Exam is that neither Kirby nor Lord Meta Knight can select any limited-use abilities such as Crash or Microphone."</em> </span>
</p><p>"And who does this information come from?"</p><p>
  <span class="u"> <em>"Lord Meta Knight."</em> </span>
</p><p>With a nod, the ensign turned to the pink puff, who was still shaking.</p><p>"Kirby, how much can you control the Copy Roulette?"</p><p>"I can stop it at any time or leave it to finish on its own…but it's been super long since I last used Magic and I forgot the timing for the Copy roulette! That's why I let it run on its own…"</p><p>"Then you technically didn't break the rules."</p><p>Meta Knight gave a sigh after Ledo said that. "Yes, then you didn't break any rules…" he placed a hand on his cheek and froze in shock once upon finally realizing that his mask had broken. Embarrassed, he took a step back, covering himself with his cape, and teleported away.</p><p>"Kirby, did you really forget the timing of the roulette?" The young man asked.</p><p>"Of course, I did! You think I would lie about something like that?!" The puff pouted in annoyance.</p><p>"Ugh…man…if I knew this was gonna happen, I woulda stayed home!" Dedede grumbled as he woke up in the viewing room.</p><p>"My ears are ringing…" Bandana moaned.</p><p>"Ah! You guys are safe!" Kirby exclaimed.</p><p>"Yeah! No thanks to you!" Dedede yelled, stomping out of the viewing room. He was stopped by Meta Knight teleporting back with a new mask.</p><p>"Ok, Kirby. Based on the notes I took throughout this test, I'm happy to say that you have passed this exam."</p><p>His student's eyes lit up. "Bandana, Ledo, did you hear that?! I passed!" The child hopped up and down with excitement.</p><p>"Congratulations!" The Dee clapped.</p><p>"Yeah… congratulations, Kirby." The young man replied with a smile.</p><p>"But we'll have to prohibit you from using the Magic Ability in future exams." The knight added with a sigh.</p><p>"Yeah…congrats I guess…" Dedede mumbled under his breath.</p><p>"Than…"</p><p>"Hey! I'm only sayin' it to be nice! Not 'cuz you're my friend!" The king snapped at him. The other three suppressed a laugh.</p><p>"Well, how about we go have some tea?" The knight wrapped his cape around himself, looking towards his Ensign. He received a small smile.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>Kirby and Dedede were the first ones out of the room upon hearing that, with Bandana following them in panic. The knight only shook his head and motioned for Ledo to follow him. After a few minutes of walking, the young man spoke up.</p><p>"Lord Meta Knight, do you believe that dreams have any meaning?"</p><p>The knight looked at him, then away, as if he was thinking. "That depends on the dream, ensign. Tell me, what did you see?"</p><p>The ensign paused for a moment to think.</p><p>"Well…"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, was it all a dream? Or is Microphone Kirby so powerful that the two parallel Ledos shared memories through their dreams? Either way, it's up to you to decide.</p><p>By the time some of you read this, it won't matter, but I actually took a bit longer than usual to write this chapter. I usually upload these in the morning, I'm uploading this now late at night. Long story short, it took a bit longer because of college, being distracted with a few other projects, and playing 13 Sentinels Aegis Rim (Great game, by the way, highly recommended if you want a good sci-fi narrative).</p><p>Anyway, I must emphasize that I'm genuinely grateful to everyone who read this. It warms my heart to see that so many people enjoyed this story that I poured my soul into.</p><p>I know I said I wouldn't make the notes for these too long, so I'll just end it here by saying this: Thank you!</p><p>Omake (Bonus):</p><p>MK: Luck of the Draw has a Copy Ability roulette. When the roulette stops, he will have a random Copy Ability.</p><p>(Roulette stops. Kirby has a purple cap with yellow spots and immediately falls asleep)</p><p>Ledo: ...I feel like it's obvious, but what ability is this?</p><p>MK: Sleep.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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